A single family survived a deadly flashflood in one of the barangays of the town of Real, Quezon, located near the river with 70 other households. That was in 2004, when a flashflood hit the towns of Infanta and Gen. Nakar. These three towns are collectively called REINA. During the flashflood, the river carried cut logs downward from the mountains, ramming everything in their path, including concrete houses. Only one household in that barangay survived that fateful day. A miracle! Who saved them? Three big trees in front of their house. At first, the family rushed to their rooftop but their house was eventually carried away by water. Through nature, with God’s will, the family managed to hold on to the branches of the trees before the logs swept the whole barangay far, far away.
It’s a familiar story, but the location this Christmas is different: Cagayan de Oro. We must be educated and reminded that trees affect our climate, and therefore our weather. They lower temperatures, reduce energy usage and reduce air pollutants. Each part of the tree contributes to climate control, from leaves to roots. Trees provide us with wood, fuel, food, medicine, latex, clothing, weapons, products for our daily lives. Cutting them down is deadly in Iligan.
For a drive that takes less than 90 minutes, we maneuvered over potholes and stalled vehicles and uncertain drivers turning round and round in confusion, witnessing disorder. The weather conditions were fair in Cagayan de Oro, as we were informed before departing Manila, yet we saw mud flowing and gushing brown water pouring into the highway from overflowing riverlets and creeks. We watched men covered in mud salvaging wood, aluminum G.I. sheets and women carrying bundles of clothes in plastic containers, children and even pigs. We saw folks on rooftops. What could have happened the night before? We asked as we watched police, Philippine Army and Philippine Public Safety College recruits carry other’s belongings and decongesting traffic. We contributed to the pandemonium, because we had to slow down in case our tires slipped over the mud as we passed by overturned cars, trucks, jeeps and pedicabs, some on top of each other, others against houses or stuck on the riverbed. Cyclones? Tsunamis? Rains with intermittent gusts of 14-mile-per-second winds were howling, pouring down 180 millimeters of rainwater. In less than 24 hours, typhoon Sendong ranged across Northern Mindanao.
Reaching Linamon Beach Resort in Lanao Norte, three hours late for my reunion with the Acoon family, we were unaware of the rescue operations for thousands. Like the Maranaos of the south, we were ignorant about the misfortunes of Iligan City and Misamis Occidental, as we were headed northward. The Acoons are royalty from Buadi Puso Buntong in Lanao Sur and being their adopted daughter, I flew in to join their seaside gathering by Iligan Bay. The Acoons brought under the warm sun 400 of their family members to strengthen unity in their clan. Though, the influence of Acoon family continues to grow politically in Lanao provinces, they want to be remembered most as the citizens of peace through education. In fact, they instituted a school in the heart of Marawi City that offers elementary, secondary and college programs. The school is named after Ninoy, the Senator Ninoy Aquino College Foundation of whom the youngest grandchild of our Ama, the Sultan Domado Disomimba, the Sultan of Buadi Puso Buntong, is Dayalen Acoon-Tingaraan who, in her mid-40s, is the owner and current president of NACF after her mother’s demise.
Gongs, kulintangs and drums accompanied the elderly datus and myself dance which surprised their younger nephews and nieces. They seemed in disbelief that their wrinkled old uncles in their 70s and 80s still possessed strong knees. Dancers of the Sining Panandem Cultural Dance Troupe from Mindanao State University performed traditional dancers for myself and Mayor Fahad “Per” Salic of Marawi City, Mayor Aktor Maruhom of Tagoloan and Mayor Exsan Gabriel of Pantar. Muslims and Christians, celebrating Christmas.
What is Christmas? Jesus’ birth for all the rich, the poor, the powerful, the weak. For all! We wait a year to celebrate Christmas. The joy of brightening other lives and each others’ friendship, easing other loads and supplanting empty hearts with the magic of sharing.
During the festivities, Colonel Benito Ramos whispered, “Did you know where we came from 134 are missing?” The floodwaters that early morning weren’t waist-deep or chest-high yet! Then the radio reported 260 persons missing, then 447, then 947.
Isn’t Christmas about giving your heart? A wide-open heart that thinks of others first? Yes. The DPWH orange-clad workers covered up potholes in the rain and surveyed damaged bridges. Christmas is most importantly to celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus and stands as the most significant event in all of Catholic history, pouring the healing medicine of love, for over 2,000 years. Even while sorrowful events were unfolding, the sacrifices by fellowmen were pouring in. No Christmas party at Philippine Public Safety College to donate to Avelina Jaudian, a single mother and her son Brian and Zenaida Prestosa who found safety on their rooftop. Or the rescue of PO2 Sandy Lamadamac Labaden assigned at PNP Office in Cagayan de Oro and her two children who were reported missing. Bong Yap, 16 years old, lamented to his Lolo Bert, my dear friend since the Cory 1985 organizational sorties, that two of his girl friends were with him in a Christmas Party until 11 p.m. At 1 a.m. the news was that their bodies were in the funeral parlor in wooden caskets, having drowned on their way home.
Life is too brief, and death is like a thief. Would that event have caused less misfortune if there were trees? My grandfather in the 19th century had a logging concession in Tayabas, Quezon. Unable to replace tree seedlings faster than trees were being cut down, he gave it up fearful of the consequences of landslides and flashfloods because tree roots wouldn’t hold the water and soil together, to protect the mountainside. Spanish times brought the destruction of forests due to galleon construction while Indios were forced to work in the shipyards of Cavite, Mindoro, Marinduque and Masbate using timber hauled by Visayans and Kapampangans. In 1660 a revolt was the consequence of forcibly cutting and hauling heavy logs! Some things never change.
What is being unearthed is that from the hills of Bukidnon, unlike mining for gold when tunnels are created underground, the export of soil continues through open pits that are dug very deep, also causing enormous holes. This process of gathering by soil requires cutting trees and they are left piled up. When heavy rains pour, the pits overflow, the logs are disturbed, water seeks its own level and the logs tumble downward with the earth.
Logging concessionaires have the tribal order’s permission to desecrate their grounds, ignoring nature for business ventures. When enough earth is accumulated the soil is exported on barges to China. No one cares about trees and leaves that remove carbon dioxide and release the oxygen we need to breathe.
We’ve forgotten that on Nov. 5, 1991, massive flashfloods descended on Ormoc City in Leyte, killing about 8,000 people, including some 4,000 who were never found as walls of mud and water roared down the mountains, sweeping people into the sea.
In November 2006, Supertyphoon “Reming” caused widespread floods and power outrages, especially in Bicol. More than 700 were killed, over 700 others were missing and more than 2,000 were injured.
In prayer we gathered for the unfortunate and implored the Lord to bless Mindanaoans. God’s love will ever pamper them and console them as He teaches us lessons for our survival — or else. But again, God will never forsake His people that need Him most.
Let us keep Christmas beautiful without a thought of greed and share, that Christmas might live forevermore not just a day, but a lifetime, every day.