Fear.

RIGHT, Baguio earthquake, circa 1990.

We went to Quiapo mid-morning yesterday and after a brief visit to the Church, we waded through the street of Villalobos. It was clogged as usual.

But right at the mouth of the street leading to the Church was an unusual build-up, and upon scrutiny, we found the cause of the commotion. Kabayan Noli de Castro was interviewing passers by and devotees of the Black Nazarene for an ABS-CBN show. I heard him ask one woman, "Paano po gagawin ninyo kung magka lindol dito sa Pilipinas?"

I heard the same question posed by Father Mario at a mass in the Megamall Cathedral last Wednesday. According to Father Mar, he heard one government official's reply to this question - YOYO. "You're on your own."

Of course, the local's sudden focus on earthquake has been brought about by the earthquake and tsunami which happened in Japan last March 11. It seems that the Philippines would be totally helpless if an earthquake of a magnitude beyond 7.6 would occur in its shores and land. At least, Quezon City has started inspecting its high-rise buildings to see if any are in danger or in violation of building codes or are already defective.

Mother Nature can heap its anger and wreak havoc in a split second anyplace in the Universe, more particularly in the Philippines because it lies in the so-called "Ring of Fire." Couple of years ago, the country was declared one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world by an international agency.

Remember the 1990 Baguio earthquake? The Mindoro earthquake of 2008?

Which brings me to my point: should we leave and travel back to Canada? Toronto, my hometown, is within a few kilometres of the great Ontario Lake, but in my twenty years' plus living there, I have not experienced an earthquake nor any major disaster.

The closest to an upheaval is a snow storm. A snow storm, though, is manageable. Years ago, we had a major snow storm in Toronto, and the streets were impassable and not enough snow clearing vehicles were available, so that then Mayor Mel Lastman had to borrow from other provinces. Since then, the city of Toronto had been well prepared for any major weather disturbance.

In Japan, the March 11th tsunami brought waves 6 kilometres inland and killed at least, 2000 and 10,000 more went missing; if that scenario unfolds in the Philippines a much higher body count would surely take place.

God forbid.