The morning started on a regular ritual. Wake up, take a bath, change clothes, go to school. I was in 2nd grade back then. My brother was just 3 years of age.
My dad prepared to go to work, 20 kilometers away from where we live. He needs to catch the company service since it only comes to pick up workers once in every 3 or 4 hours. Two of my friends are already outside our corridor waiting for me since we need to walk few meters from our house to school. My mom is getting ready for a convention in Baguio. She will be bringing my younger brother since no one will baby sit for him.
It was 4 PM when we came home from school. My classmate, who's also a neighbor, has the same routine as I do. We bring out the dishes from early morning rush so we can wash it. Mind you, we were living in a bank house where kitchen sink and bathrooms are shared.
We were in the kitchen when we heard rumble from upstairs and the ground began to shake. We ran outside. People were crowding the streets. I'm with my neighbors and cousins who were just nearby. My parents haven't gone home yet. For the first time I felt I was alone.
After few hours, I can see my dad walking towards me, I ran and embraced him. He carried me in his arms and asked, "How are you?", "Are you hurt?", "What were you doing when you felt the earthquake?", "Is your mom and brother home yet?". I cried. I see his tears trying to come out but for some reason he was struggling to hide it. Now, at least I felt secured.
These were the times when cellphones were not yet accessible by anyone else. Phones in our place were only made for local phone numbers. That was 3 or 4 digit dial to call the police, the clinic, the fire station, the barangay hall, etc. These were also the times when the roads were dusty and not cemented as we see right now.
Though we were advised to camp outside due to aftershocks, My dad and I preferred to sleep at home as what our neighbors did. He brought down every single item that can be broken and we slept in the living room.
The next day, I saw him talking to his cousin to look after me. He needs to go to Baguio to look for my brother and my mom. No vehicles risk to travel that day. No vehicles can even reach Philex due to landslides and falling rocks.
Despite the advisory that travelling maybe dangerous, my dad along with 2 others pushed on. They walked 20 kilometers from 745ml (yes that is the name of the place) to Philex. And trekked another 34 kilometers from Philex to Baguio.
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| Road from Philex to Baguio during the 1990 earthquake. This was taken after the clearing operation. |
He searched every relative he knows from Baguio to Trinidad, every hospital, every morgue, even the famous Burnham Park to look for my brother and mother. After 3 days, he was able to find them and was able to come home.
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