I was in elementary school (Grade 5 to be specific) when Mount Pinatubo’s climactic eruption happened in June 15, 1991. I remember waking up to an unusually dark morning. The ubiquitous ashes due to the eruption made it difficult even for the sun’s light to pass through. This caused the gloomy atmosphere of dark days that followed.
The colossal eruption is considered the second largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century. (The largest one happened in 1912 in Alaska.) The effects of the eruptions were widespread. The temperature of the world decreased by 0.5 C and ozone depletion rate spiked temporarily.
Unavoidable Colossal Disaster
It would have been just a spectacular incident if only it was not too catastrophic. Over 800 people died, 2.1 million people were affected, 1.5 billion pesos of agriculture was destroyed, 8000 houses were obliterated, 73000 homes were damaged, 12 billion pesos of infrastructure lost.
It was one of the most disastrous natural calamities that our country and its people have ever endured.
That’s why Mount Pinatubo, at least to those old enough, was etched in our memory. We will not forget what happened because it is already part of our nation’s history.
And for many, it is part of their life stories as well. Not a few, unfortunately, have bad stories and memories of the eruption they wished they never had.
But as a people, Filipinos are resilient. Calamities still come our way and we face them head on. We learn from our mistakes and move on. What we want is to become more prepared when the next daunting challenge attempts to break our spirit.
It was one of the most disastrous natural calamities that our country and its people have ever endured.
That’s why Mount Pinatubo, at least to those old enough, was etched in our memory. We will not forget what happened because it is already part of our nation’s history.
And for many, it is part of their life stories as well. Not a few, unfortunately, have bad stories and memories of the eruption they wished they never had.
But as a people, Filipinos are resilient. Calamities still come our way and we face them head on. We learn from our mistakes and move on. What we want is to become more prepared when the next daunting challenge attempts to break our spirit.
Giving Mount Pinatubo a Visit
Personally, I think it’s worth our time to at least reflect on what happened. Events shape every society’s identity and development. Mount Pinatubo is a place where a hugely significant event occurred.
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to see Mount Pinatubo a few days ago. The journey was long and difficult. Together with friends, we had to ride an off-roader then walk for two hours to get to the volcano’s crater. The way was dangerously rocky. There’s always the risk of landslides piling on top of adventure seekers.
But the destination proved to be worth the effort. The sheer beauty of the place was breathtaking. I understood why people would pay money and endure difficult hikes to get the chance to see the crater of Mount Pinatubo. The crater lake is shown on the photo below.
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to see Mount Pinatubo a few days ago. The journey was long and difficult. Together with friends, we had to ride an off-roader then walk for two hours to get to the volcano’s crater. The way was dangerously rocky. There’s always the risk of landslides piling on top of adventure seekers.
But the destination proved to be worth the effort. The sheer beauty of the place was breathtaking. I understood why people would pay money and endure difficult hikes to get the chance to see the crater of Mount Pinatubo. The crater lake is shown on the photo below.
Learning from Experience
But more than seeing the beauty of the lake, the journey was both meaningful and enlightening. The difficult long and treacherous walk is just a small taste of how our fellow countrymen fought for their survival during the eruptions. We could devote our trekking efforts in honor of their hardships (for those who did survive) and of their memory (for those who died).
The enjoyable scenery of the beautiful crater lake shows how good things can still happen after disastrous calamities. It gives hope to those of us who continue to face difficulties. Recent earthquakes, flash floods and typhoons have shown us adversities are not over. They will continue.
But the tough trek to Mount Pinatubo could just be the experiential reminder that we need. It may just enlighten us on how our difficult journey could sometimes be setting us up for a better future - a different future that we have been hoping for and dreaming about. Despite all these challenges, we have reasons to press on and continue.
