Tulabut: Pinatubo — 20 Years After

By Noel G. Tulabut
My Palm Notes
Tuesday, June 14, 2011

I REMEMBER those dark days. Really dark days.
My memory of Pinatubo’s eruption is still vivid. My late mother called me to come out of the kitchen and see the mushroom cloud at the west end of our house.
Yes, there was a huge ash cloud over the skies over what we called then as “kampu” (Clark Air Base). On a straight line, our house is only less than a kilometer away from the perimeter fence that separates Clark from villages like ours.

I went out to the street to get a better view. And good view I got of people watching the plume go up thousands of meters into the sky. And good view I got too of people scampering, running, with some of them hurriedly boarding a jeep, a tricycle, anything. I will not forget neighbors taking with them dogs, cats, and even pigs.
The running was caused by panic. The panic was caused by uncertainties.
I remember hearing volcano experts then that they will not be sure if Pinatubo will not emit deadly fumes that would contain sulfur. Sulfur, as we all know, is lethal. That probably caused the panic and running. People thought that the ash cloud and smoke from Pinatubo would bring a plague deadlier than acid rain. Who would not be afraid then?
That night — very late at that — we left Mabalacat for Quezon City as we did not know if situations would turn worse. We did not want our niece Marice — then three months old — to be breathing air filled with Pinatubo’s what-have-you particles. Even then, Marice grew up with occasional asthma attacks.
We returned a few days after and nary an idea we have that the days to follow the June 12 eruption would even be darker.
Aggravating Pinatubo’s continuing eruptions was a tropical storm that hit the country June 14 onwards. With the skies already darkened by ash cover, the sun was almost blotted out by storm clouds in the atmosphere.
Noontime looked like past sunset then. We thought it was the world’s end.
I remember dozing off at 10 in the morning on June 15 as I lacked sleep in previous days. I remember waking up, startled that I thought I slept until 6 in the evening as it looked like night time. Alas, it was only noontime.
The days, weeks and months that followed were worst.
Just as when we thought that danger was over when ash clouds dissipated into earth’s atmosphere, we were wrong. We have not seen anything yet. Pyroclastic flows were our biggest nightmare.
We would be fearful whenever it rained due to lahar threats. We would hear rumbling sounds of rocks and other volcanic debris as the nearby river system was only about two kilometers away from our house. They sounded like cavalry of horses galloping and running into the wild. Barangays Dolores and Tabun were entombed. Our village was next in the lahar path.
While our house was spared from the lahar onslaught, we were not spared from emotional, financial and physical tolls. We have had to evacuate to somewhere safe from being buried by volcanic debris. My first child Asher was born and reared while renting a house, where eight other siblings and our parents squeezed in.
That is how we have had to endure not only the next few months but years ahead.
We crossed river channels on foot, negotiating wooden planks and makeshift stairs on embankments. We sweated it out in dusty roads where it was painful to the eyes and nose. Ashfalls were natural occurrences, leaving one’s top either gray if not white.
The world then was dreary, with only shades of grays, whites, blacks on tree tops, on roofs, buildings, street pavements, almost everywhere.
We have experienced lining up too for relief goods, plastic mats and medicines. Sardines and noodles were delightful staples then. We raced with neighbors for medicines for pain, colds, and cough especially.
Those were the days. Dark days.
Twenty years after, we have survived.
Not only because we have remained steadfast, but because of the grace of God.
We did not only survive, we recovered, we grew back.
While some of Pinatubo’s fury could still be felt and seen in dislocations, occasional floods, entirely new topography, yet, nothing could serve as a sense of relief, of reward than to realize that we have indeed recovered.
Pinatubo may be a thing of the past now, yet, it helped shape the present, and it made us face our future.
*****
HOLIDAY OR NOT? Confused indeed are many people in the province whether today, June 15, is a non-working holiday.
House Bill 3948 which would make June 15 of each year as non-working holiday remains unapproved. No thanks to media hype on the supposed “memorialization” of Pinatubo.
Governor Lilia Pineda did not issue any order for the declaration of holiday. Mabalacat Mayor Marino Morales has rescinded an earlier memo he issued for the supposed holiday. In Angeles City, the holiday was reported to have been covered by a City Ordinance according to info officer Deo Sambilay. All these bits of information are just being obtained one or two days before the June 15 celebration.
Sadly, the local banks declared a non-banking day as they were carried by the hype. I am pretty sure that a lot of entities especially schools have also declared the same.
With all these brouhaha and confusion, I think it would have been better if Malacanang has taken the lead in the celebration of Pinatubo’s 20th anniversary. Oh, I almost forgot Pampanga’s daughter Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is already a Congresswoman and is no longer in the Palace.

Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/opinion/2011/06/14/tulabut-pinatubo-20-years-after-161120
Over the holidays, travelers from Manila going to the north for a getaway destination choose Pampanga Angeles City and Clark Philippines as a popular holiday location. Aside from day-time sports and other activities, visitors look for a good wine shop to buy some good wine to celebrate a special occasion or just to make the holiday and vacation more enjoyable. Many wine lovers pick up some good bottles from Clark Wine Center to bring to dinner in some of the good restaurants in Angeles City, Clark Pampanga. Yats Restaurant is one of the most famous fine dining restaurants outside of Manila, located in Mimosa Leisure Estate inside Clark Airbase or Clark Freeport Zone as it is now called. This popular restaurant has become a tourist attraction, a place to visit for those who are in Pampanga, Subic, Angeles City and of course, Clark Philippines. The famous wine shop called Clark Wine Center supplies this famous restaurant in Clark Philippines as well as other good restaurants in Angeles City Pampanga with good wines of all price ranges.

Wine is becoming increasingly popular in Manila and other cities in the Philippines. Wine lovers in Manila travel to the north to visit Clark, Pampanga to shop for good and rate vintage wines at good duty-free prices. The most frequently visited liquor shop in Manila and wine shop in Pampanga is Clark Wine Center. This highly recommended wine shop located outside Manila near Angeles City, Pampanga in North Luzon is known for offering a great selection of fine vintage wine that is good quality and good value for money also.

This well-known wine shop is a famous shopping destination for wine enthusiasts in Manila and wine lovers from other cities in Asia including Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul, Osaka and Tokyo.

Famous Philippines wine supplier known for its line of fine vintage wines, Yats Wine Cellars was established in 2000 to address the requirement of a growing population of wine enthusiasts in the Philippines. This 5-star wine shop caters to the discerning client who requires these qualities in their wines: (1) excellent value, (2) large selection of labels and vintages to choose from and (3) wines properly aged for full enjoyment.

Public wine tastings are held from time to time in Clark and sometimes in Manila. Tickets range from p500 to p1500 for these themed events that are professionally run –no wine merchants sponsorship, pushy salesmen or tacky banners to ruin the evening. Each ticket contains a certain number of stubs that can be redeemed for a tasting pour of a wine among those on a line-up which often contains wines that are quite old and expensive.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com