City of San Fernando, Pampanga—The Delta No. 5 Trail, which served as a warning tower against steaming lahar flow that buried Pampanga and other parts of Central Luzon, will be the site of a Thanksgiving Mass to mark the 23rd anniversary of the Mt. Pinatubo eruption on Saturday.
The mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday and will be officiated by former Archbishop Paciano Aniceto of Pampanga.
Marni Castro, who manned the watchtower on June 15, 1993, said Gov. Lilia Pineda decided to hold the Mass at the watchtower site in Barangay Sapang Uwak in Porac because it helped save many lives and properties during the volcanic eruption.
Castro, an engineer by profession and the technical consultant of the Save San Fernando Movement then, said tons of lahar, mudflow and other pyroclastic materials passed the watchtower coming from Pasig Potrero River down to the populated areas.
“My job then was to alert the people in the city and municipalities by sounding the sirens and church bells to warn of the incoming lahar,” he said.
According to Castro, some 4×4 vehicles will be available in front Carworld at 8.a.m to take those who want to hear Mass to Porac, which is about an hour and half’s travel from the City of San Fernando.
The Mt. Pinatubo eruption devastated the region, but because of the concerted efforts of the government and non-government organizations plus the resiliency of the people, it recovered.
Gregorio Pineda, assistant director of the National Economic and Development Authority in Central Luzon, reported a -2.6 percent growth rate in the region during the eruption due to economic losses.
The region now accounts for 9.3 percent of the gross national product and has an employment rate of 93.9 percent.