The Baguio metanarrative

Last July 16 was a Monday. Likewise, July 16, 1990, was also a Monday. For some then, it was the first day of the week.
Today, because of the shift in the academic calendar, the universities and some of the private elementary and high schools are still on their summer break which meant that there are relatively fewer students now. Classes at the Saint Louis University in 1990 was suspended because of the student strike so they were spared from major building damages.
Last July 16 had a grey and rainy weather, similar to what it was 28 years ago. Some started calling this the earthquake weather although the US-based US Geological Survey said there is no such thing as an earthquake weather. It was Aristotle who coined the connection between “earthquake” and “weather” and said that “earthquake weather” should be hot and calm.  A later theory stated that earthquakes occurred in calm, cloudy conditions, and were usually preceded by strong winds, fireballs, and meteors.
It was 28 years ago when we had that terrible earthquake which became the city’s metanarrative. In critical theory and particularly in postmodernism, it is a narrative about narratives of historical meaning, experience, or knowledge, which offers a society legitimation through the anticipated completion of a (as yet unrealized) master idea.
Which meant, the 1990 earthquake was the story that defined the generation. And this generation is now the generation that went past if we go by the definition that a generation consists of 20 years. Some of the so-called earthquake babies who were born that week are now themselves parents.
So a huge chunk of our city’s population did not experience the 1990 earthquake. There was nothing as strong as that since, God forbid.
We tried to relive it to them through books, documentaries, stories and even earthquake drills which they often laughed off because it was never the same.
They never knew the terror, frustration, grief, melancholy, and resignation most of us felt. They never knew the kindness, sacrifice and stubborn hope that came after.
People thought Baguio will never rise again and yet less than a year again, Baguio was back on its feet and never looked back. This is something our youth will never understand because it was born out of experience.
Also, add to this our politicians who forgot the earthquake. Scan the newspapers. The only story related to the earthquake was the media people planting 100 pine trees in memoriam to the dead. They had been doing this every year, God bless them.
Other than that, nada. Our officials, who ironically rose to fame after the quake, decided to let the day pass.
Months after, the city council became introspective. They passed the 19 conditionalities for the development of Camp John Hay. They passed an ordinance banning buildings higher than four storeys, for example.
A few months later, many of these ordinances were forgotten. Worse, the officials permitted buildings twice the four-storey limit. There was no remorse, maybe because they thought the earthquake was forgotten.
A simple Facebook post last July 16 told people to contribute their stories during the earthquake. People submitted their stories by the hundreds. No, we did not forget.
The faults may have been buried by the earth but they remain there, waiting to move again. People’s memories were like that. It was our leaders who thought we forgot and it’s their fault again, as usual.