FERAL FREQUENCIES

If you have been to the mountains of Rodriguez, Rizal, you may have seen signs warning of occasional "blasts" from the many quarry sites throughout the municipality.

- LEVI MASULI

If you have been to the mountains of Rodriguez, Rizal, you may have seen signs warning of occasional "blasts" from the many quarry sites throughout the municipality. These explosions, along with the scarred landscapes and dusty roads, have become an unfortunate but familiar feature of the municipality's landscape.

Loud sounds are hardly a novelty in the Philippine countryside. Firecrackers remain a New Year's staple to ward off bad luck and evil spirits. Over time, neighborhoods have grown noisier. From the grainy hiss of transistor radios, neighborhoods embraced the booming Hi-Fi systems of the '80s and '90s. These living room sound systems, often decked out with colorful "pataysindi" LED lights, resembling electric banderitas, were portable fiestas and public address systems rolled into one. Bass, once only heard in thunder or volcanic eruptions before subwoofers came into the picture, is now a constant presence in the modern Filipino sonosphere.

But the expansion of available frequencies and dynamic range affects more than just our environment. It reshapes the listening body. Long-term exposure to low frequencies can alter heart and respiratory function; high frequencies can impact mood, attention, and cognition. Quarry explosions often exceed 130 decibels, equivalent to a gunshot at close range, posing immediate risks to human and animal life. The audible violence extends outward, driving species from their habitats and placing immense environmental pressure on all within earshot.