A marker commemorating the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption was unveiled in Clark Freeport on Tuesday, June 9, 2026.
The event is in line with the 35th anniversary observance of one of the country’s most devastating volcanic disasters.
The event, “Pinatubo at 35: Remembering Pinatubo, Lessons from the Past, Empowering Communities,” was held at the Parade Grounds in Clark.
The event gathered national and local officials, scientists, tourism leaders and disaster risk reduction advocates.
Leading the ceremonies were Former President and Pampanga Second District Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo; Clark Development Corporation (CDC) President Agnes Devanadera; Dr. Christopher “Chris” Newhall; Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (DOST-Phivolcs) Director Ma. Mylene M. Villegas; Department of Tourism (DOT) Region 3 Director Richard G. Daenos; Pampanga Provincial Tourism Officer Michael “Mike” Castaneda; Mekeni Food Corporation President Prudencio Garcia; Mabalacat City Tourism Officer Arwin Lingat; Angeles City Tourism Officer Louie Lazatin; and Center for Kapampangan Studies (CKS) Director Myra Lopez.
Lopez said the marker, provided by Phivolcs, is the first of its kind in Pampanga and stands as a reminder of resilience and recovery after the eruption.
Arroyo said that scientific monitoring, timely warnings and mass evacuations helped save lives during the 1991 Pinatubo eruption.
For her part, Devanadera said the eruption became a defining moment for Kapampangans, shaping Clark’s transformation from a former U.S. base into a major economic hub.
Daenos, meanwhile, emphasized the importance of remembering history to strengthen disaster preparedness.
Garcia recalled how disaster shaped their struggles and strengthened their value of Malasakit Sa Kapwa.
Dr. Heather Wright, Director of the Volcano Disaster Assistance Program (VDAP), Cascades Volcano Observatory of the United States Geological Survey (USGS), said she and her team are in the Philippines to learn from PHIVOLCS and see Mount Pinatubo for the first time.
Following the Clark program, participants proceeded to Holy Angel University in Angeles City for the opening of the Pinatubo International Conference and DTI Trade Fair.
The conference, organized by DOST-Phivolcs and CKS, runs from June 9 to June 11, 2026, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the PGN Building. (via Tristan Jingco)