15/06/2025
๐๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฅ๐ | ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ต๐ฒ๐: ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ญ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น๐ฒ๐' ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต ๐๐ฎ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ ๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐
(Story from Tabularasa: Paglipay, The Bastion's Magazine issue for AY 2024-2025)
The Zambales Lahar heard the cries of agony of thousands of Zambaleรฑos as Mt. Pinatubo erupted in 1991. Being the second-largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century, it profoundly influenced the lives of many Filipinos forever. For over three decades, the catastrophe has altered lives in the province through its effects on agriculture, the primary source of sustenance for many Zambaleรฑo homes.
Especially affected were the Aetas, the native people of Zambales, who had protected the province's lands and mountains for centuries. This indigenous group, part of the marginalized sector of the Philippine archipelago, witnessed much of the land's development over the years. Their stories are especially significant as they were the first to experience the eruption firsthand.
For the common folk who walked on Zambales' land years after the blow of Pinatubo, it is merely a fleeting memory, fading through the sands of Lahar found in most parts of the province. But for the Zambales Aeta, these sands hold the memories of a time of hardships, cries, growth, and aspirations in the face of Zambales' changing tides.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒโ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น
The Aetas have long understood that catastrophes like the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo are natural disasters. Their lives are intricately woven with the land, which gives them insight into what is inevitable. The layers of lahar that cover the area today were once rich soil filled with the songs of nature, sung by the Aetas. However, it is undeniably painful that these songs have transformed into echoing cries of horror from their family and friends.
โHindi ko alam noong oras na โyon kung may bukas pa ba kami ng pamilya ko. Wala rin naman akong magawa kundi umiyak at magdasal, habang ang iba sa amin ay nahirapan na lumikas,โ said 62-year-old Luz Tabunday Dela Cruz in an interview as she reminisced about her experiences during the volcanic eruption.
There were more than 350 recorded deaths due to collapsing roofs during the eruption. To make matters worse, Typhoon Yunya coincided with the disaster, creating a heart-wrenching ordeal for the Aetas. The mountains they had cherished for centuries claimed the lives of some of their beloved family members and relatives.
โPara kaming tinalikuran ng kalikasan,โ she said.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ผ๐ถ๐น ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ
Zambales is renowned for its agricultural sector, built on a foundation of fertile soil and an abundance of large bodies of water surrounding the area. From fisheries to farming, Zambaleรฑos take pride in their produce. High up in the mountains live the Aetas, who primarily rely on agricultural products such as fruits and vegetables unique to Zambales' soil.
However, due to the thick layer of lahar that covered the province, it became difficult for residents to procure food for their families. โMahirap. Mahirap makakuha ng pagkain dahil sa tagal mawala ng lahar. Nagkasakit na rin kami dahil sa baho ng amoy,โ Dela Cruz shared.
The fertile soil of Zambales was buried under white lahar, transforming the once-productive land into barren sand. This scarcity of food left the locals with no choice but to move.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ช๐ต๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ธ๐ ๐ง๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ช๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ
After their homes were destroyed by the disaster, the Aetas anticipated that their livelihoods would be compromised. Accustomed to tending to the mountains for generations, they did not have the option to cultivate rural lands. They traditionally relied on nature for their needs and did not typically seek wage labor. However, with the eruption covering their productive lands in thick layers of lahar, they found themselves unable to obtain food and other necessities.
The eruption severely hampered the economic development of the province, particularly affecting the villages of marginalized groups residing near the volcano. These communities suffered a devastating blow from the disaster.
โMahirap ang buhay. โYon ang totoo para sa amin, kahit hindi pa noon pumuputok ang bulkan. Kaya naman, ang panalangin lang namin ay โwag na muling pumutok ang bulkan. Kahit ganito na lang ang buhay namin, basta โwag na muling uulit โyon. Mas mahirap โpag pumutok ulit ang bulkan,โ Dela Cruz mentioned as she shared her story.
Nonetheless, the evacuation was heart-wrenching for them. Lahar forced them out of their villages, and now they spend each day gazing beyond the horizons where their former homes once stood.
๐๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น๐ฒรฑ๐ผ๐
The aftermath of the eruption was grim, yet it sparked camaraderie among the Zambaleรฑos. The Aetas of Zambales played a crucial role in this bayanihan spirit, aiming to rebuild their homes and reunite with their families.
Some remnants of the eruption have become tourist attractions, where Aetas now serve as guides, recounting how Mt. Pinatubo, Zambales' treasure, tested their resilience. Others returned to the mountains to rehabilitate the soil near their former homes. Life did not come to a halt after the eruption; it spurred the community to become beacons of hope for one another.
The 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption was not just a challenge; it was a profound adversity etched into the memories of the Aetas. The remnants of lahar from the eruption linger in the hearts of the Zambaleรฑos, inscribed in history books and sung in the songs of Zambales' indigenous groups.
Today, as you stroll through the streets of Zambales, the progress since that catastrophe is undeniableโa testament to the indomitable spirit of its people in overcoming the aftermath of the eruption. However, the once-white sands near the volcano were not just a picturesque disaster for those who lived through it. Perhaps it was a canvas crafted by the heavens to challenge the resolve and faith of its peopleโa symbol of resilience and unity. It stands as a beacon of hope, reminding everyone that together, amidst shared struggles, there is strength, and in the promise of a new dawn, there is hope.
The Bastion joins Zambaleรฑos in commemorating the 34th anniversary of the 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption.
---
Written by Rasbelle Moicy Faye de Vera
Photo by Earl Domacena, Chris Tomnong
Layout by Clyde Derick David
