Thick clouds, downcast skies prevent Cotabato folk from viewing annular eclipse

Cresent moon-like annular solar eclipse as seen in Cotabato City at 2:28 p.m. (Photo taken by photojournalist Argie Gratuito for the INQUIRER)

KIDAPAWAN CITY — City government employees patiently waiting to catch a glimpse of the annular solar eclipse here ended up disappointed after thick clouds blocked their view of the sun Thursday noon.

Many employees did not eat lunch as they lined outside the lobby, some of them even went out and stood in front of the city hall building, hoping to get a full view of the phenomenon that according to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), happens only once in every four decades.

“Very frustrating,” said Chayla Baldos, administrative aide IV at the Kidapawan city information office, after she set up her mobile phone on a tripod hoping to get shots of the eclipse but saw only gloomy skies.

“This is a once in a lifetime phenomenon,” she said as the sun failed to show up. “We will (have to) wait for (another) 44 years to see this again,” Baldos lamented. “By that time I will be turning 88. I hope I will still be alive.”

As early as 7 a.m. on Thursday, Ma. Corazon Magbanua and her nanny, Rosie Devarvo, set up a container full of water in front of their house, especting that the sun would appear and they would see the partial annular solar eclipse.

But thick clouds covered the skies until noon time.

Both were excitedly looking forward to see the ring of fire as the moon covers the sun in a rare phenomenon only to end up disappointed.

“Tan awon nalang nato na sa tv te,” (Let’s just watch it on television, Auntie),” Magbanua said.

In Makilala town, at least a hundred evacuees from the series of quakes in October also went out of their tents to watch the eclipse but went back to their tents disappointed./lzb