Wednesday, April 02, 2008 Covington: And the earth moved By Gary Covington Looking In
ON THURSDAY came the news that Davao City is "prone to sinking." A phenomenon caused by an ever-burgeoning population sucking dry of water the ground we stand on.
But before you rush to the hills or start collecting coco lumber to DIY an ark, allow me to make a couple of observations.
First: Even as you read this column the ground under your feet is moving.
Excruciatingly slightly, infinitesimally slowly, but it's on the move. The earth is alive -- shrugging its shoulders, jostling the continents to a better fit as the planet slowly cools and shrinks -- not just an inert lump of rock and metal hurtling through space.
Second: The reasons why our apparently solid ground is on the move are several. Continental drift -- enormous slabs of the earth's crust creeping about; bumping, tipping, rising and falling. Volcanic and earthquake activity; sometimes cataclysmic but more often (thank goodness) slow but sure and generated by continental movement or from deep within, a gigantic planet-sized gargling of molten rock and metal.
Tides play a part; compressing and then releasing foreshores as millions of tons of water surge back and forth across an ocean. So does gravity -- the influence of our planetary neighbors pulling our pear-shaped globe this way and that.
Third: Measuring such a tiny up or down of the landmass -- especially Davao's earthquake prone landmass -- would be exceedingly difficult and, really, when you think about it, an utter waste of time. What would be achieved? At huge cost -- expensive consultants and experts rubbing their hands together with glee -- we'd confirm that Davao is indeed sinking a couple of millimeters a decade. What could be done about it? Nothing.
Davao would still burgeon -- more folks using more water (and what is probably the cheapest potable water in the world. Water people, put the price up -- forget the loan) and no commercial enterprise in its right mind goes off to look for and develop a more expensive resource when the cheap variety is still available and on its doorstep. Think reality. What should be and the actuality are poles apart. It has always been so and forever shall be and I'm drifting off the topic and so I'll stop.
On Sunday there was a report that scores of 'devotees' were allowing themselves to be nailed up on wooden crosses in a gruesome re-enactment of the crucifixion. The Archbishop of Pampanga spoke up, urging the nation not to turn Holy Week "into a circus."
Too late -- tourists and ghouls and the media turned up by the 4x4 load to witness the spectacle of our latter-day crucifixions. Scribblers hastened to catch the words of a Guinness Book of Records hopeful being nailed up for the umpteenth time; digicams whirred recording the sort of stuff which turns up years later on television's Amazing Video shows. The circus should be cancelled but we can't do, that can we?
It's traditional like horse fighting and frat hazing and anyway, it brings in the dollars.
On Monday came the news that a new variety of the humble spud had been named after President Arroyo. A blight resistant variety, which I thought particularly apt as Gloria sails on, brushing aside all and every blight the oposition, the media and opinion polls throw at her. I couldn't help wondering though -- did the good lady receive a certificate? A trophy? A gold-plated Gloria Kamaptengan to display in Malacanang's sala parador?
Lastly and "School's out and summer's here." cheered a fellow scribbler. "Sun, sand and summer." rejoiced another. Summer? I'm fitting my bicycle with outriggers.
