Reflections on the Myanmar-Thailand earthquake

The recent 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand has shaken Southeast Asia to its core. With over 1,600 lives lost and many more injured or missing, it has become a heartbreaking reminder of nature's fury and of our shared vulnerability. In Mandalay, buildings collapsed in seconds. In Bangkok, residents fled their homes in panic. As rescue efforts continue, the pain of the affected nations becomes the pain of us all.

- JOSE DE VENECIA JR.

As we followed the news, our thoughts drifted back to July 16, 1990 - the day a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Northern Luzon. It was a day etched in the memory of every Filipino who lived through it. Our own hometown, Dagupan City, suffered terrible devastation. We remember vividly how liquefaction caused buildings to sink and tilt, and how roads turned into rivers of mud. The ground itself seemed to melt beneath our feet.

Yet in the aftermath of the chaos, we witnessed the extraordinary courage and compassion of our people. In Dagupan and across Luzon, neighbors helped neighbors, strangers became family, and communities rose from the rubble with faith and determination. It was one of the darkest moments in our history - but also one of the most inspiring.