TRAGEDY 2009

First published in Daily Tribune under Anthony Vivero's Vibes and Vision dated October 5, 2009.

When three private art museums came together eight years ago to take stock of the public lives of their formidable collections, little did they know that the wheels of a cultural phenomenon were already beginning to turn. Banding to foster increased partnership in the face of dwindling funding for the arts, the project also helped foster camaraderie among the museums’ staff whose pooled research, expertise and professional networks became a valuable resource and a well-spring of information.



An article about visions, predictions and warning of disasters to come was published in this same newspaper several months ago, on June 29, 2009, entitled "Mid-Year Forecast" (for several years now, I have written two forecasts annually: a mid-year and a year-end).

I have noticed, however, that most people are more interested in stories about showbiz and political personalities, news about wealth and fortune that may come to them and, sadly, deaths or assassinations that may be foreseen.

Very few take note of predicted calamities and possible disasters, as if these will never happen. I got to know this as readers of my published articles would usually e-mail, ask personally or send me queries through relatives, friends and acquaintances, and that majority would only ask about the above as their main interests.

There are two persons constantly interested in disaster scenarios and visions. They comically call themselves the "doomsayers." Two members of my volunteer group, Tata Bert and Sister Jean, are the so-called Doomsayers, the seers of disasters, and they are quite good at it.

In the past, we hit upon several predicted calamities on the dot. We were there at the disaster areas on the first hour of the calamities. These were the landslides that happened in Cherry Hills in Antipolo, the flood and landslides in Real, Quezon, the landslides in Leyte and the floods in Iloilo, just to name a few, as there have been many that we were able to predict and helped save lives, assist and provide relief goods when they happened. Our group is always one of the first to respond in most of the incidents that we saw in our visions. We didn’t feel the need to be exposed via media when we were at the disaster areas as the predictions were published ahead of the incidents. We just did our part by preparing ourselves way ahead and acted positively for the events about to come. Through this, we avoided panic and chaos.

Tata Bert and Sister Jean constantly remind me of my predictions of the past and the current ones. They keep written records of the calamity or disaster about to happen: How, where and what would come about and what came about. They do this not to create panic or fear, but to prepare themselves internally, and that is how to handle it emotionally the right and proper way.

They say that I could be one of those seers bold enough to indicate dates and places. In the last Mid-Year prediction published here, I wrote a fearless forecast that Metro Manila would be underwater in the month of August. It was not the exact month though, but with a personal record of a "plus or minus of 1 or 2," I could say that I got it on the dot. In my Annual Forecast, I did mention that Manila will have a lot of water contrary to the El Niño that some seers predicted. Readers who kept copies of these articles from The Daily Tribune and Balita (Canada), titled "Forecast 2009" and "Mid-year Forecast 2009" can attest to what I have written here. You might be able to retrieve these articles via the Internet through their Web sites.

Stories of heroism

Heroism comes during tragic events. Disasters and chaotic moments produce heroes, unfortunately not ever under normal situations. The aftermath produces the best quality of a person, but short of being a hero. What is a hero? These are the people who have nothing in their minds but to save people without thought of their own personal safety. Some die and some survive, but in the book of God, it is written: These are the people who loved their fellowman more than their own lives — a "Christ-like" act.

I recognize two heroes in their own right in the recent calamity we just experienced. Jun and Joseph are both survivors. Jun is a Stage-4, lung cancer survivor. Even doctors are puzzled about how he managed to stay alive with his condition of 80 percent cancer-damaged lungs. Joseph, meanwhile, suffers from a disease that damages his spinal region, paralyzing him. He also has a liver problem that creates blotting and yellow skin. God’s miracle keeps them alive and well to this day.

During the floods, these two survivors accompanied us from house to house in the flooded neighborhood in our area. It was too late for me to realize that these two were rather physically weak to be scouring the flooded streets and were at risk of being carried away by the rampaging water gushing out of the creek. Several wooden houses had been already carried away by the floods. Of course, many did help in the rescue, saving lives and properties, and most of them were in top health condition.

Jun and Joseph were weak, but they walked waist-deep to chest-deep in water for almost a whole day and managed to walk several blocks at that. Not a "walk in the park," mind you! We had to battle the strong current to cross from street to street in each of the blocks in the subdivision. They managed to go through all these and more, helping out. My advice to them is this: "You are alive today because of a purpose to be fulfilled. Grab the opportunity every time one crosses your path."

Everyone will surely die — all of us would, in time. These two almost died because of their ailments, so glorify in dying by giving oneself so that others may live.

God is good because nobody died in our group and in our area. I salute those who died saving other lives in many disaster areas. Their families produced a hero, an angel on earth who gave their lives for others.

Those who are still alive, like us, must be prepared till the next disaster, until we have that glory of dying for others to live.

Next disaster

In my mid-year prediction, I foretold that the next possible incident to be alert about is an earthquake of a big magnitude. The Luzon area will be hit — a tidal wave or a tsunami will follow. It may happen in the ocean, but water again will do damage in several coastal areas that may reach up to several feet in height or level.

As I was writing this article, a similar scenario of an earthquake and a tsunami occurred in Samoa, an American territory. Some were hoping that maybe that was what I saw in my vision, not the Philippines... I wish to God that it was the vision I got, but I have a number-date of when this will happen. In my Mid-Year prediction, I wrote that it would come about in October or November.

Then the number 13 appeared in my vision while someone was asking me when the earthquake would transpire. Based on this, I say it may happen on the 13th day of October or November; the place, the Philippines; with big waves hitting Manila and other coastal areas.

Death will again come to our land. My prayer is always this: "May people be ready to face God when each of us will finally meet Our Creator. Remember, one question will surely be asked: ‘What did you do for your fellowman during your life on earth?’"

Preparedness

1. All members of the family must know their duties and responsibilities during disasters.

2. One meeting place must be set for all members of the family. Set a time for travel by foot, if one needs to walk from their point of origin, before making further actions and decisions.

3. Stock up on ready-to-eat foods, water and flashlights, batteries, candles, lighters or matches.

4. Put clothes in sealed plastic bags for each member of the family.

5. Be ready with extra plastic bags, big and small.

6. Put all these items in one bag; make sure it is handy and waterproof.

7. Be emotionally prepared to detach from material possessions and sentiments.

8. Organize your own rescue groups in your areas, in your family, in your community. Besides, it is your own life at stake here, so do not wait for help outside of your group, they may never come.

9. Be always and constantly alert for changes in your surroundings. Nature always shows tell-tale signs, warning of disasters in days and seconds before they actually happen.

10. Prepare to meet God any day of your life. Disaster or no disaster, that meeting is pre-arranged, so fear nothing, God is with you.

Comments or suggestions may be forwarded to anthonyvivero@yahoo.com and anthonyvivero@hotmail.com.