It turns out that the magnitude 6.9 earthquake on the evening of Sept. 30 in Bogo, Cebu, which was felt in many other areas around it, was just the beginning.
Over the next few days, other tremors were felt in many places in the country. On Friday, Oct. 10, a doublet earthquake struck off Manay, Davao Oriental: a magnitude 7.4 at 9:43 a.m., and a magnitude 6.8 at 7:12 that evening.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology says doublet earthquakes are distinct or different earthquakes occuring in almost the same area “with two (or more) main shocks that have slight difference in magnitude..” The two earthquakes resulted from movements of the Philippine Trench.
On Saturday, Oct. 11, a magnitude 5.0 quake struck Cabanga, Zambales at 5:32 in the afternoon. PHIVOLCS says the quake had a depth of 100 kilometers.
And then, at 10:32 that night, a 6.0 quake hit off Cagwait, Surigao del Sur – another tectonic movement some 24 kilometers deep.
Thousands of aftershocks have been recorded and felt as a result of these quakes.
Some people have been ascribing a more-than-scientific significance to the string of earthquakes. This is heaven’s way of punishing the Philippines, they say, because of the avarice and shamelessness of our public officials. Others read the quakes as disapproval of the actions and decisions of those in power.
But what kind of compassionate, merciful Supreme Being will punish the hapless many for the sins of a greedy few?
If we go by this logic, we may as well also remember that disgraced televangelist and self-proclaimed son of god to just yell at the top of his lungs to make the shaking stop.
There is no need to see things for more than they actually are. But there is an urgency to act on the things that are within our control.
We have always known that our country lies on a part of the globe that is vulnerable to geological events. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are common, and anticipating their occurrence is always wiser than wishing they would not happen. In the same way, we are just by a vast ocean from where weather systems originate; such weather systems are made even more intense, frequent, and erratic by the warming of our planet. These are things that are beyond our reach.
But there remain areas on which we can act.
On the individual and family level, we could prepare ourselves for emergencies by knowing beforehand what to do in case such disasters strike. The go-bag – a set of items that include basic needs we would need in case we need to leave our homes temporarily – is a concrete manifestation of this.
It is difficult to stay calm and not panic during an emergency, but prior knowledge and planned arrangements, such as where family members could converge amid chaos, would help us make better decisions.
On a larger scale, the onus lies on the government, both on the local and national levels. They are the ones making disaster preparedness decisions. They are the ones approving the construction of buildings, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. They are the ones supposed to periodically monitor these structures’ soundness.
Alas, we have been seeing how their greed has greatly compromised the people’s benefit and safety. Citizens should assert control: we should remain vigilant, follow investigations to their rightful conclusion, hold these officials accountable for their actions. And, most importantly, never vote for them again.
It’s all science and common sense. While we cannot do anything about the science, we can come to our senses and hold ourselves steady even as the ground shakes underneath our feet.
