Last week, there had been reports of some houses and manmade structures along the shores that had been washed away by big waves. There was no tsunami. It could be attributed to tidal waves. According to reports, some parts of southern Bohol , eastern Cebu and parts of Sulu were affected. In some places, the surge could be expected. However these events are rather strange. For four days the tides were high. It ranged from 1.9 to 2 meters at its fullest.

That would be enough to inundate the low-lying portions of land near the shores. However, the blustering winds of the southwest monsoon created high waves and blew them inland thus washing out structures along the beaches. Damages could be expected in Sulu and southern Bohol since the waves rush shoreward. However, in places like Talisay, Cebu their shores face west, besides the island of Cebu is sheltered from the southwest monsoon by the island of Negros , hence the waves were brought by high tides.

This means that land is a little lower than that of the previous years. It would not be surprising that Bohol would sink a few centimeters on the month of May but this happened in August. Besides the Sandugo celebrations were over, expats are leaving for other places. Those who were old enough say that the sea level had rose in the past forty years. Or the land is sinking beneath the waves.

Millions of years ago, Bohol and the Philippines had been under water. Then came the period of rising, the seabed was pushed up by the upheaval creating the Philippine archipelago. Bohol upland farmers are sometimes mystified when the plow up prehistoric mollusks even in Mayana, considered the highest place in Bohol . It could be reasoned that the ancient people gathered bivalves and univalves to dine on them in their upland homes. However, those who carry giant tridacnas, - taclobo if you will, upland ought to have his head examined. Heavy tridacna shells abound in the mountains of Jagna that there must be a lot of certifiable morons then. Which is unlikely.

The underground forces must have been spent. There are no evidences of upheaval in the recent times. The underground forces could have been spent. There are volcanic activities but they are far away. The land will start to settle. Erosions start to set in. Mountains tumble and the ceaseless waves pound on the shores. Year after year the shorelines receded. The areas where boats were previously beached are now underwater. The condition is noticeable in the southern part of Bohol .

Another reason perhaps why the seas are encroaching land is global warming. Constant use of combustible materials created a carbon dioxide blanket, which keep heat from dissipated to the outer space. Release of flourohydrocarbons or FHC used as aerosols to the atmosphere weakens the ozone layer. The trapped heat raises the earth temperature and melts the north and south icecaps, which in turn raises the sea level. Environmentalists of industrialized nations are meeting to reduce atmospheric pollution but some of the most advanced countries do not really care. Anyway, land loss is gradual, scarcely noticeable. But those living near the sea will notice. All we can do is ask them to move inland. Not even King Canute could hold the sea back. It will take several generations before the seas would cover land as it was before barring another upheaval.