Mixed blessing

Good news and bad news. The bad news is that a 7.6 magnitude earthquake (with 585 aftershocks) struck off the coast of Eastern Samar resulting in one fatality, 10 injuries and roughly 200 damaged houses. The good news is that the literally and figuratively “earth shaking” occurrence inflicted relatively minimal damage in terms of loss of life and property. Although any death is always one too many, one readily gleans from the table below how blessed the Philippines was.

Indeed, lone casualty aside, I consider the tremor a mixed blessing — a “could have been” tragedy that should all jolt us into action.

*      *      *

In a recent newspaper article, the question was posed: “what if the quake had happened in the heart of Metro Manila”? A 2004 study jointly conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority projected the possible consequences of a 7.2 magnitude earthquake: “170,000 residential houses will collapse; 340,000 residential houses will be damaged; 34,000 people will die; and 114,000 others will be injured.” These projections, coupled with the numerous potentially devastating earthquakes every year, makes it imperative to consider and implement possible preventive measures towards addressing these natural calamities.

While Executive Director Benito Ramos of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council claims that the MMDA and LGUs are adequately prepared to respond to such a crisis (with rescue units from Central Luzon and Calabarzon and “high-tech, emergency response units” from Cebu prepared to help in any disaster), Enrico Mangao of the Phivolcs Seismological Observation and Earthquake Prediction Division believes otherwise, saying that “we still have a long way to go”. “It is only during an emergency when we become interested in safety. Only now, after this recent incident, but after this, it will be gone. We will stop preparing our houses, and our families.” Sounds like the “bahala na” and “mañana” habits rolled into one.

Earthquake trivia:

• Based on observations and surveys conducted since the 1900s, the US Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that the world is struck by several million earthquakes each year. Of course, not all of these are large scale earthquakes, yet the sheer frequency by which these natural phenomena rock our world is staggering. The same report lists the total number of earthquakes within the 7.0-7.9 magnitude range at 15 per annum.

• Did you know that Twitter “Tweet Earthquake Dispatch” beat the USGS by 1 minute and 07 seconds in determining the existence of last week’s earthquake? Technological innovations such as this are definitely worth keeping an eye on in the preparation efforts for future calamities.

*      *      *

Let me reiterate this column’s main message — with last Friday’s earthquake we dodged a bullet. A calamity that could have claimed the lives of thousands claimed the life of one. The Philippines came within a hair’s breadth from disaster and whether it be due to random luck or Divine Providence, we emerged relatively unscathed. If there’s a lesson to be learned from all this, it’s that we should no longer gamble our safety on the hopes that we will again be able to skirt by the next disaster lest we tempt fate and learn our next lesson the hard way.

*      *      *

Holy greetings: Best wishes to high school classmate Joseph Raymund Sanchez, S.J., who will be ordained a deacon today at Ateneo Loyola’s Church of the Gesu. “Better late than never” is the saying that comes to mind when queried about Raymund’s belated vocation. And speaking of delay, 4A ’82 classmates have wagered as to what will happen first: Raymund’s priesthood covenant or Ferdie Tolentino’s marriage vow?

Returning to the deaconate issue, I was curious about the differences between the functions of a priest and a deacon. A quick internet research revealed the following:

1. A priest is the second highest of the Holy Orders of the Roman Catholic, Eastern and Orthodox Christian churches while a deacon is third in rank of the Holy Orders.

2. A priest must never marry while a married man can become a deacon but is expected to become celibate when he is widowed.

3. Before the Second Vatican Council, only candidates to the priesthood could become deacons, but today, even those who are not seminarians can be deacons.

4. Priests are assistants to the bishop and the Pope while deacons are servants of the church and the bishops.

*      *      *

In grateful remembrance: Certain quarters attribute the blessing of minimal damage inflicted by the recent earthquake to the country’s special “Marian” protection. Coincidentally, today happens to be Mama Mary’s birth anniversary. Out of grateful remembrance, perhaps Catholic readers can say one Hail Mary in her honor or sing “On this day oh beautiful mother, we give thee our love…”

*      *      *

In memoriam: Eternal life greetings to Ms. Chona Tañada-Roxas-Silos. I also read about the recent passing of my grade 3 teacher (Humabon section) Diana Ladaw Sales. A kind disciplinarian, she will be missed by family, former students and friends.

*      *      *

“Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many—not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” — Charles Dickens

*      *      *

E-mail: [email protected].