A year has passed since that eventful day and although much was desired by way of visible government reconstruction efforts and aid, our people have stood pat and rose from the rubble. The private sector has stood in the forefront of the relief and rehabilitation efforts and nowhere was this more felt than in our province. Boholanos are known for their thrift and industry and these admirable traits hastened our quick recovery. Despite the slow government response from the national leadership, calls for solidarity from individuals, peer groups and civic aggrupations have made the endeavor of regaining normalcy a much easier task. It united Boholanos here and abroad and showed the real meaning of brotherhood.

In stark contrast to the looting seen and experienced in Tacloban after Typhoon Yolanda, our people patiently waited and hurdled the difficulties brought about by the impending catastrophe. We faced our trials with pride and dignity befitting the true spirit of our ancestors. With nary a whimper, we slowly rebuilt our lives and moved on. As we travel the countryside today, hardly can we see traces of the destruction the tremor brought upon the lives of our brothers. Except for the rubble of our stone churches and some damaged government structures, nothing much can be seen and felt . Everything and everyone, it seems, is back to normal.

That this happened highlights the fact that sometimes tragedies bring out the best in us. We stood firm and steadfast and showed to the world that our spirits cannot be dampened quite easily. Lessons have been learned that give us courage to face any obstacles that should come our way. We have been tried and tested as a people and we have passed with flying colors. As we reminisce and look back to that fateful October 15 morning a year past, let us thank the Lord Almighty for having spared us from much more tragic consequences. Let us pray for our departed brethren and mourn their loss, but above all, let us be grateful that the loss of lives from a quake of such magnitude was remarkably low. That it so happened in the early morning, and on a holiday, was by no means less a miracle and perhaps was intended to wake us from our spiritual slumber. (Donald Borja Sevilla)