The text on Fr. Mel’s cell phone the evening of Monday, Oct. 14th, simply said, “Please call, it’s an emergency.” He had no idea in that moment how much it would change his life.
The call revealed that his mother’s house, where he was born and had grown up, was completely destroyed by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake centered just a few miles from his hometown of Loón, along with the homes of his brother, sister, uncle, and father’s family. Two family members, his sister and brother’s mothers-in-law, had perished when the walls of their homes collapsed. They were among 222 who died in what would be called the Great Bohol Earthquake of 2013. 95 percent of the structures in Fr. Mel’s town were completely destroyed and 77 of the dead were in his town alone.
Fr. Mel’s mother had just returned home from 7 a.m. daily Mass and was outside sweeping her patio, (her daily routine) when the earthquake hit a little after 8 a.m. The more than 200-year-old church that she had just left was turned to rubble, and her home collapsed inward. She was unharmed only because she was outside at the time.
“At first when I got word of the earthquake, I was very anxious, but after I knew most of my family was safe, it lessened my concern a bit,” Fr. Mel said. “Then I couldn’t get through to them for five days; they had no power or telephones. Watching the news on TV and seeing the problems getting food, water, and medical needs made me very unsettled again.”
After a week of being unable to communicate with his family, Fr. Mel decided he needed to go home. By the time he arrived, 12 days after the earthquake, makeshift campsites were serving as shelters and basic necessities of rice, canned goods, water, and clothing were being distributed by relief workers. The situation was dire.
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