The occurrence in succession in recent days of disastrous earthquakes in Haiti and Chile resulting in an estimated 200,000 deaths in the case of the former and less than 1,000 in the case of the latter could be cause for alarm as far as the City of Baguio is concerned.

It can be recalled that in mid-July of 1990 an intensity 7.8 temblor devastated Baguio causing the death of around 300 residents with extensive damage to properties. It took strong will and dedication of local officials and residents after many years to re-establish the stability and recovery of the city.

The July 1990 earthquake left many scars on surviving city residents, not to mention the emotional strain city folks had to undergo.

The successive earthquakes in the western hemisphere were in the range of 7.2 in Haiti and 8.8 in Chile. Scientists opine that the Haitian and Chilean experience could possibly be the harbinger of similar earth movements in other parts of the world, the Philippines included.

Days ago, such a natural phenomenon shook the island republic of Taiwan with a 6.9 intensity. Shortly after the Taiwan quake, a slightly weaker quake hit Tuguegarao in north Philippines. In fact, the Tuguegarao incident occurred while no less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was delivering a speech before Cagayanos in that northern city.

Then on Thursday, Batanes further north of Tuguegarao, was also hit by a 4.9 intensity temblor followed later by yet another quake in Masbate said to have been measured at 4.6 intensity.

All these earth movements resulting in earthquakes of various intensities may not mean anything really. Yet, on the other hand, these could be warnings of more potentially dangerous and devastating earthquakes in the future. Of course, we in the City of Baguio who have experienced and witnessed the misery and difficulty of having suffered the aftermath of a highly destructive earthquake can only raise the hope that Baguio be spared from a repeat of the 1990 event.

And, who can forget the most recent community experience during the past typhoon season last year where hundreds of lives were lost with a staggering damage to local infrastructure and properties. These were caused by a series of landslides in Baguio and Benguet resulting from the fury and onslaught of incessant typhoons. Today, the vestiges of the city and provincial damages are still visible with the slow pace of recovery.

We recall all these natural incidents with untold loss of lives and destruction to properties to project the lessons caused by natural disasters. Fortunately for erratic weather conditions and typhoons, the public usually get ample warnings beforehand. Not in the case of earthquakes which hit any place in the snap of a finger without any prior warning. Except for reported weird and strange behaviour of animals where they are said to feel an impending earthquake, the latter occasion can hit anytime, anywhere without any prior notice or warning.

It is precisely in an attempt to effect risk reduction as well as mitigate the impact of natural disasters that a convenor group of local personalities have programmed a two-day seminar-workshop on March 15-16 at the Baguio City National High School on the issue of risk reduction and mitigation in cases when natural disasters strike.

In the forefront of this community endeavor are Dr. Arthur Saldivar-Sali, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Geotecnica Corporation and Arch. Joseph Alabanza, chairman of the Beyond 2009 Committee of the Baguio Centennial Commission. Both are, of course, home grown technocrats and Baguio boys who are providing their services in the interest of Baguio and its people.

Both Saldivar-Sali and Alabanza are joined by known city planners, architects, civil engineers, the academe, engineering students, and allied technical people from both the city and provincial sectors in holding discussions and assessments in risk reduction and mitigation in cases of disasters and disastrous events. The slated workshop-seminar will also be joined by government representatives from regional offices of the Geo-Sciences and Mines Bureau, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and other government entities.

Aside from the Baguio Centennial Commission with its vigorous support of the workshop-seminar, Philex Mines, Inc. is also providing technical support to the projected workshop-seminar. Philex Mines, Inc., now the country’s biggest gold and copper producer will be a strong participant in the workshop with its geo-technical engineers and staff. Representatives from the small-scale miners group will also be invited to take part in the seminar.

In a meeting last Thursday, at the Baguio Centennial Commission office, the convenor group agreed to meet another time before the scheduled March 15-16 seminar-workshop. Expecting a big enough public participation in the workshop to include representatives from the various local barangays, the convenor group said that the first 50 registrants will be exempted from the nominal registration fees.

The workshop will deal on principles and practical methods of earthquake risk analysis, assessment, and mitigation of earthquake risks in Baguio and actual field assessment of certain areas in the city.