Pinatubo at 20: Rising from the Ashes

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

TWENTY years ago, it was a mass of sad-faced and grief-stricken citizens of Bacolor that would have made the long walk to leave their homes and property to get to the refuge of resettlement areas after the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo.

Twenty years later, the exodus was replaced by a throng of happy faces, a crowd wearing green shirts walking the old streets of the town as early as 5 a.m. to hail the triumph of the Kapampangan spirit, its victory over the eruption and a sort of thanksgiving for the lives saved and in honor of the sacrifices and lives lost.

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Leading the commemorative walk was Gov. Lilia Pineda who was flanked by the Pampanga board members Fritzie David Dizon, Ricardo Yabut, Nestor Tolentino, Trina Dizon, among others.

City Mayor Oscar Rodriguez also joined in the walk and the opening of the exhibit galleries and the film viewing area on discussing the highlights and history of the 1991 eruption.

It was a festive event as hundreds joined the walk that was followed by the inauguration of the memorial and historical marker at the East Lateral Mega Dike here.

The event was graced by Third District Rep. Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales Jr. and Mayor Jose Maria "Jomar" Hizon. A thanksgiving mass was also concelebrated by San Fernando Archbishop Paciano Aniceto and other priests from different parts of the province at the half-buried San Guillermo Church.

Officials here are urging Kapampangans to join in the remaining activities for the celebration of the 20th year anniversary of the Mt. Pinatubo eruption until the end of the week.

"Remembering the hardships we have hurdled and the many sacrifices we made during that dark time in our history should be remembered and we should learn from it and keep those lessons at heart," Hizon said.

Schedules for this week include a social-relief mission in Nabuclod, Floridablanca today and the launching of the Wetland Tour in Sasmuan town and vintage car show at SM City Clark. There is also an ongoing film viewing and art exhibit at San Guillermo Church and a photo exhibit on Mt. Pinatubo at SM City Pampanga.

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