In June this year, Kapampangans shall observe the 20th anniversary of Pinatubo volcano’s eruption when their lives were drastically challenged by tragedy and their local officials have banded together to lead in the commemoration.
Now it is a different story for Pampanga and leading a united front in the commemoration are the local chief executives of the province led by Governor Lilia G. Pineda. Together with Mayors Oscar S. Rodriguez of the City of San Fernando and Edgardo Pamintuan of Angeles City, Jerry Pelayo of Candaba and members of the Center for Kapampangan Studies (CKS) and the business sector, they recently convened the steering committee in charge of the commemoration.
The committee was formed when Pineda issued EO 03, series of 2011, at the heels of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan passing Resolution No.2097, declaring June 15-21, 2011 as “ika-20 anibersaryo ng Pagputok ng Bulkang Pinatubo”. The committee is chaired by the governor, with Vice-Governor Joseller Guiao as vice-chairman and Benigno Ricafort, Jr. of the Clark Development Corporation (CDC), the three aforementioned mayors and staff of the Center for Kapampangan Studies as members.
Pineda said “mahalagang gunitain ang pagputok ng Pinatubo dahil ipinapakita nito kung ano ang napagdaanan ng mga Kapampangan upang maisalba ang kanilang mga buhay at ano ang pinagsikapang gawin ng pamahalaan sa gitna ng napakalaking panganib na ito”.
Rodriguez added that “in the face of great and seemingly insurmountable calamity, the Kapampangan’s indomitable spirit surfaced and surpassed the challenges, and did much better than expected”.
He revealed that in conjunction with the governor’s EO, the city government also passed an executive order enjoining city officials and employees to actively participate and support in every way possible all the activities of the provincial government relative to the commemoration.
After 20 years, Pineda said the “once devastated province, covered in ashes and lahar, is one of the country’s premier provinces and is on the road to becoming the next center of progress”.
Lord Francis Musni of the CKS presented the proposed activities during the week-long observance and they are the following: the construction of a memorial monument capturing the “indomitable spirit” of the Kapampangan against the odds of Pinatubo’s eruption; a poetry writing contest revolving around “Bakwit”, the Kapampangan term for “evacuation” which was what Kapampangans did after Pinatubo erupted; a book launch on true Pinatubo stories to be authored by Professor Robbie Tantingco of the CKS and to be published by the Holy Angel University (HAU); Pilakbayan Pinatubo, a traveling photo exhibit on the evacuation efforts in the aftermath of the eruption; Aldo ning Kulturang Kapampangan, featuring Pulosang Pinatubo: Ing Istorya ning Bie Mi; Pulaing Pinatubo, a fun run at the megadike; and Pintubokyatan, trekking trough the alternate route using the Pampanga access road.
The committee members also said a concelebrated mass is set to be held at the Metropolitan cathedral in San Fernando with various religious sects represented. The committee also plans to enjoin the Iglesia ni Cristo in the province to declare June 16 as Tanging Pagtitipon day when a special worship service shall be held to commemorate the event.
The committee also intends that by the third week of April, all the planned activities shall have been put in place and ready for implementation.
Businessman Levy Laus, for his part, committed to produce a video documentary on the Pinatubo experience of our provincemates.
Mai Jimenez, a former ambassador and head of the Overseas Development Authority (ODA), proposed the staging of a concert featuring world class Kapampangan talents to raise the level of promotion of Pampanga and its Pinatubo experience, “as it is a showcase of a people’s courageous triumph over the worst tragedy, which any country and people can learn their lessons from”. (Pampanga PIO)
