IT WAS 14 minutes before midnight last Tuesday when Tintin Mansinares, provincial tourism officer, texted me about the update from DOST-Phivocs. Mt. Kanlaon emitted ash from the crater around 6:20 in the evening that lasted for twelve minutes. Traces of ash fall were reported in Guintubdan, La Carlota City. Alert level 1 status remains in effect.
After the “booms” and “sparks” at 6:20pm, I was monitoring a radio report from Manila stating that Negrosanon, especially those living at the foot of Mt. Kanlaon, should not panic. The situation is not alarming yet. The volcano is just trying to release hot water that settled near the crater. I call the spark as “spitting fire.” The boom is for “Booming Kanlaon.”
Deep under the earth, rocks melt into a thick liquid called magma. When the pressure in the earth’s crust builds up, the magma explodes in a volcanic eruption. As it rises, the magma breaks up rocks near the surface which can cause earthquakes. The red-hot molten rock that explodes out of a volcano is beautiful (tourist attraction) but deadly. It is hot that it can melt steel.
Once it has risen to the surface, magma is called lava. The earth’s crust is made of loose rocks and dirt. Next layer is sedimentary rocks that are made from bits of rock stuck together.
It is followed by igneous rocks made from magma that has cooled. The last layer is metamorphic rock that is made from squashed rock.
We would like to believe that Mt. Kanlaon is not yet ready to blow up. There is no need for massive evacuation. We would just like to inform the public that the force of an exploding volcano can throw lava more than 2,000 feet (610 meters) into the air. Lava, gas, and huge chunks have not reached this status. What we are giving here are just pieces of information.
On Good Friday, March 29, 2002, six people were arrested for penetrating the danger zones in Mt. Kanalaon. They were the “serohanos” or “manugbulong” in search of anting-anting and the ingredients that they could use for their “lanahan.” There are those who go up there without government permits. They are playing “hide and seek” with the government monitoring team.
The “anting-anting” materials could be easily identified by the “babaylans.” It could be a piece of stone from the belly of the volcano or a piece of wood deformed by nature. It could also be a falling object from the outer space. If your grandfather is a “maayong lalaki” because he has the “anting-anting, he would hand it down to your father, and later to you, if you are a worthy possessor.
Medicine men would like to believe that down under Mt. Kanlaon lives the “Sota,” the guardian of the volcano. Stories of the old say that when he is angry he allows the volcano to spit fire. His words are lightning and his heartbeat is thunder. He hates those who destroy the environment. He protects biodiversity and allows flora and fauna to thrive. He is against exploration of Mt. Kanlaon’s natural resources. To appease his anger, the “babaylans” are making rituals.
“Sota” has a company. “Bulalakaw” (the firebird) is there to strike anyone who disobeys the rule of “Sota.” One should say “fuera sinda bulalakaw” to evade the wrath of the fire bird. “Kapre” (the tall dark man who smokes a cigar) dwells on century old trees. He is the enemy of the illegal loggers. The naughty “mantio” (lanky man) frightens those who make the attempt to go near the crater.
There is even a belief that a crowned snake is hibernating in one of the caves. At night, the serpent plays its “trabungko” (fireball) to lure other animals to come near the cave and become its food. Inday Fe, the famous (once) faith healer promoted by some radio stations even invited me to see President Ramon Magsaysay in Mt. Kanlaon. “He is not dead. He is just there.”
I was excited but my wife told me, “Don’t go.” I obeyed my wife. (She is like a volcano in so many ways and I learned to like the volcano in her). Mt. Kanlaon is a landmark of the Negros Island Region. The “Sota” there just wants to remind us that we have to take good care of our environment.
How does he look like? He is half black and half white according to the legend. That legend is funny. Don’t make fun with the “Sota.” He might have a mother… “Sotang Ina!”