Reaction Paper on Surviving Pinatubo

Volcanoes in the Philippines are a major source of hazards. This archipelago

was formed largely by volcanism. Camiguin, a small island province on Mindanao, is
formed through several volcanic activities. Mount Hibok Hibok, an active volcano, can
also be found in that area. The Philippines also has one of the biggest concentrations of
volcanoes, as it can be found inside the Pacific Ring of Fire. At least 25 of its volcanoes
are considered active, and one of which is the Mount Pinatubo. The Mount Pinatubo is a
dormant volcano that is located on the boundaries of Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales
Province. As it sleeps peacefully for the last 500 years, the ethnic groups Aeta
worshipped the volcano and believed to be the home of Apo Namalyari, a pagan deity.
Little did the residents around the volcano knew that a large catastrophe await on the
peaceful volcano. These events are showed on a video documentary entitled ‘Surviving
Pinatubo’ produced by National Geographic. The documentary tackled how Philippine
Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and United States Geological
Survey (USGS) join forces as they observed Pinatubo before and during the eruption.
By watching the documentary, I affirm that preparation is very important to prevent
further loss of properties and life due to natural calamities.