As we await the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ in just a couple of days, many are wont to ask: is this still going to be a “merry Christmas?” While many have already planned to hold physical parties and get-togethers this year, after a long hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic, who would have thought (again) that super typhoon Odette would wreak havoc in Visayas and Mindanao, including Negros Island?
Cancellations and budget realignments were promptly made by establishments and institutions, deeming it fit to donate cash or in kind to those who were severely affected by the typhoon.
Watching and listening to reports brought back memories of a similar devastation exactly 30 years ago today, albeit on a different level. This was the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991. After working in Manila for 10 years, the family thought it best to go back to Dumaguete City in 1987, which was just as well, considering the damage wrought by Mt. Pinatubo up to Manila through its volume of volcanic ash.
It would be timely, especially today, to reminisce how people have managed to keep body and soul together in the midst of crisis and to still shout out with joy that God is good and that He is in control – powerful words that guided Ms. Veronica Gordon Lorenzana, an owner of a resort in Subic Bay, who shared her experience through a friend, who thought this is a great story to tell now that there seems to be a pall of gloom in typhoon-stricken areas eerily close to home.
In her words: “It was 1991, and I was strolling along the beach of our resort, White Rock, in Subic Bay. For weeks I had thoughts of drastically renovating the resort to improve and enlarge it, but I knew that my project would entail huge costs and I couldn’t imagine where to begin.
“Then, Mt. Pinatubo erupted.
“From where we were, we could see sparks, then an explosion, then an atomic bomb-like mushroom cloud of smoke. It was an extremely frightening situation, one that none of us at the resort had ever seen before! Not knowing what to do, I knelt down to pray. I knew in my heart that only God could be bigger than something like this.
“It was midday, but the sky turned as dark as night, and it began to rain ash and sulfur. Prior to the eruption, the forecast was that the radius of damage would reach only 10 kilometers. Our hotel was 40 kilometers from the center of the eruption, but we were greatly affected.
“Our guests were stuck. I resolved to keep the atmosphere as calm as I possibly could, while I made sure that the pounds of ash that were accumulating on our roof was swept away as quickly as possible.
“Announcements over the radio instructed people to evacuate the area as soon as possible, so after dinner, I instructed my employees to escort the guests to the lobby, which was the safest place in the resort at that time. Our trellises cracked, and we could hear the sounds of destruction in the places surrounding our resort. The American commanders were contacting their base to ask permission to go back, but were ordered to stay where they were because it was simply too dangerous for them to be outdoors.
“I made my own plan of action. I herded my two children into our 4×4 and we drove to my brother Dick’s house in Olongapo, stopping by to pick up my mom from her house. Many times on the way, we were forced to stop and clear the ash from the windshield in order to have ample visibility.
“It was a terrifying time for all of us. When the tectonic quakes began, they were sharp and were accompanied by thundering and mumbling sounds that made it even scarier. My family and I clung to each other, crying, praying, and encouraging each other the best way we could. I knew my husband George must have been very worried about us, but there was no way for us to communicate with him. It was 1991, and aside from the power blackout, we had no idea what was going on – remember that at the time, cell phones were not as common as they are now.
“The damage to our resort was unimaginable. It was like ground zero, literally. But, an unexpected blessing came, literally from the ashes as trucks and bulldozers dumped loads of ash out into the water, and our shoreline was expanded. Other trucks came and soon, we had a natural reclaimed area.
“Who would have thought that a volcanic eruption would turn out to be God’s way of saying that He knows our hearts’ desires? I learned that if we acknowledge who He is, no matter where we are or what we are going through, He will honor us for it.”
A very merry, blessed Christmas to all our readers! – NWI
