FILIPINOS FOR NATURE

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Greetings of the Enraged Nature

Architecture student Chrishmiana E. Laher confronts humanity’s ecological debt through the lens of recent disasters, arguing that nature’s fury is not coincidence, but consequence.

All living things lived in the abundance of nature with the freedom to take whatever they needed. Whether it be food, water, or materials, it was offered. A good source of income for people who grew greedy over it. Yet, it never once gave a response. Now, they have come, their greetings, for they will show sooner the rage of the used nature.

A might after the calm is not what you want to see, but behold, it has now come after the filth of the living that took no gratefulness but just covet whatever. The water and air that will surge, along with the earth that continues to bend, and with the fire raging along the chaos. It has come into existence as payment for those who took nature for granted. A life for a leaf, an exchange to see which one will survive and regret. It will not stop, just like beings who never stop pursuing what they want without a hint of guilt.

Hear and see for the water and air have converged to create the torrents of typhoons threatening to cross the PAGASA. On October 9, 2025, in the afternoon, parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces found themselves beneath darkened skies as moderate to heavy rains poured with flashes of lightning and strong gusts of wind. According to PAGASA, the downpour affected several cities across the capital and nearby areas of Laguna, Rizal, and Batangas, lasting for hours and spreading to surrounding towns. It was a sudden surge, a meeting of elements that echoed a warning from the restless sky.

Flames once again touched the heart of the land as Mt. Arayat in Pampanga burned for three straight days, from April 25 to 27. The blaze devoured about 352 hectares of the mountain’s protected forests, damaging several reforestation sites that once promised renewal. According to DENR, the fires erupted across the northern slopes of the volcano, affecting the nearby communities in Magalang and Arayat. The heat and wind conspired to keep the flames alive, turning the mountain’s emerald face into ash and exposing the soil beneath. What was once a symbol of resilience now stands as another reminder of nature’s suffering, a wound carved by both neglect and rising heat.

As if a giant took a step, each one shook the core of the earth as fear continued to grow in the hearts of the people. The earth trembles, and silence follows, a silence broken only by echoes beneath. In Davao Oriental, a rare “double earthquake” struck on October 10, 2025, sending powerful waves that shattered homes and unsettled thousands. According to PHIVOLCS, over 1,100 aftershocks have been recorded following twin quakes with magnitudes 7.4 and 6.8, causing collapsed structures, cracked roads, and millions of dollars in damage across Davao and Caraga regions. Even as smaller tremors ripple across nearby provinces, the memory of the earth’s sudden wrath remains fresh. For many, every vibration beneath their feet feels like a reminder that calm is fragile, and nature, once stirred, does not easily rest.

The disasters that strike are not mere coincidences, but the consequences of human disregard for nature’s limits. Every quake, flood, and fire is a message from the earth reminding us of our failures. We have taken too much, and now we pay the price through destruction and loss. Still, there remains hope if we act now to restore what has been broken. Nature’s fury can be softened only by our will to change and protect what remains.

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