Boholanos mark 11th year of devastating quake

GEOLOGICAL MONUMENT The coastal zone of Maribojoc, Bohol, that rose by 1.5 meters and shifted 50 meters seaward after a magnitude 7.2 quake struck the province on Oct. 15, 2013, is a natural phenomenon now attracting tourists. The area is declared a geological monument by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. —Edeliza V. Macalandag/Contributor

TAGBILARAN CITY, BOHOL, Philippines — Church bells rang while alarms and sirens were sounded for 33 seconds as Boholanos commemorated on Tuesday the 11th anniversary of the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that devastated the province in 2013.

At exactly 8:12 a.m.—the time the earthquake struck for 33 seconds—people in Bohol stopped working and observed silence to remember the Oct. 15, 2013, quake that killed 222 people and ruined homes, old churches, and public infrastructure in the province.

READ: Magnitude 7.2 Bohol quake

Bohol Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado, in his Memorandum Circular No. 2024-0037 addressed to local chief executives, encouraged people to say a prayer for those who perished during the earthquake.

While the tragedy brought great terror and sadness to Boholanos, the governor said it also showed how good and merciful God is.

Painful reminder

“(We) thank our Almighty God for giving us strength to cope with all the difficulties at that time and rising up victorious until now,” Aumentado said.

Bishop Alberto Uy of the Diocese of Tagbilaran shared the same sentiments, also applauded the resilience of Boholanos amid the challenges and adversities.

“Their strong faith in God and unwavering community spirit played a crucial role in the recovery process. People came together to support one another, rebuilding their homes and lives with determination and hope,” the prelate said.

For those whose loved ones died during the quake, the anniversary was a painful reminder of the tragedy.

In Antequera town, the Barace family visited their loved ones in the cemetery, brought flowers, and offered prayers.

“As long as we are alive, we will remember them always,” said Rodel Barace, a native basket entrepreneur.

Four of his family members—parents Saturnino and Emiliana, sister Elizabeth and his 5-year-old son Shame Jyle—were buried alive when the ground opened and swallowed them all together in seconds.

Barace, 38, said the pain of losing his loved ones has diminished but not totally gone.

Still top tourist destination

He said he remained grateful that despite the tragedy, his younger brother, Saturnino Jr., who almost died during the quake, would be ordained a priest in December this year.

Although the earthquake dealt a severe blow to Bohol tourism, when centuries-old churches crumbled and reduced to rubble and some Chocolate Hills mounds were scarred, Bohol remains a top travel destination.

It pushed Boholanos into opening more tourism spots, such as the seashores in Maribojoc and Loon towns that lifted in the aftermath of the quake.

Aumentado said Bohol’s tourism got better and has achieved a 463-percent increase in arrivals from 2021 to 2023.

Data from the Bohol Tourism Office showed the province hosted over a million tourists in 2023 and more domestic and international flights.

Aumentado underscored the province’s efforts to safeguard its sustainable tourism agenda and its designation as the country’s first and only United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) “global geopark.”

Bohol is also offering new tourist packages, such as culinary tours, wildlife tours, nature and adventure trails, and heritage-based tourism products.