There are the atrocious events that shocked the country for their surprising upshot
Apparently, when a man failed as a man, it gets surfaced and corrected by another man accordingly based on society’s standard. In this relation, these events, buried within the depths of time, earned outwardly society’s condemnation and captivation upon their surprising upshots. #CetaceoChronicleMondays
𝟏. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟏
As ambitioned by the first lady Imelda Marcos to have a world-class Theatre in Philipines and to realize her goal to put the country as the ‘Cannes of Asia”, Manila Film Center was erected to cater to one of the most anticipated events that time which is the first Manila International Film Festival. The MFC was therefore budgeted $25 million and was squeezed with the 3- month construction time allotment.
As the Construction time became limited, it is therefore rushed until the cold night of the 17th of November around 3 in the morning, when one of the scaffoldings in the upper floor of the film center collapsed burying at least 169 workers. Allegedly, Imelda Marcos, notwithstanding the tragedy that transpired, still directed the construction to continue thus, prohibited rescuers to aid the laborers because of the delay it would cause. The collapsed scaffolding was therefore repaired burying the workers in wet cement. The MFC was then erected to fulfill the timetable making the International Film Festival realized.
𝟐. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐳𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨
Ironically on the 18th of the fire prevention month in 1996, 162 lives (mostly students) in the Ozone Disco were claimed by the fires while 93 were severely injured — lest regarding the Ozone Disco Fire Tragedy the worst fire in the country and seventh fire incident in the world.
Back in the day where discotheque ignited the entertainment of most Filipinos, Ozone Disco was one of those places mobbed by clients and customers. On March 18, 1996, Ozone Disco was flocked by 300 clients (mostly students) when the establishment could only carry 100 to celebrate the graduation season.
According to multiple accounts, the fire started with just a single spark on the ceiling above the disc jockey’s booth near the kitchen and restrooms but everybody just neglected it because people assumed it as a special effect typically added to parties. This, therefore, triggered the fire and eventually consumed the whole place. People were knocking one another, panicking, and taking their own bodies to safety in the emergency exits but no to avail, the doors can only be opened inwards — A fire trap to boot.
𝟑. 𝐖𝐨𝐰𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟔
No one can forget Willie Revillame’s hit noontime game show on ABS-CBN presented six days a week where he showers huge prizes and riches. Apparently, one tragedy befallen the first anniversary of the show wherein 77 who are mostly senior citizens were killed and nearly 400 were injured. This was known as the Wowowee stampede in 2006.
The show in celebration of its first anniversary promised huge prizes such as a million peso cash prize, a house and lot, jeepneys, minibusses, etc. The anniversary, therefore, took place at the entrance of the 9,000-seater Philsports Arena in Pasig City when more than 20,000 individuals broke into the arena to quickly snatch the available seats. Reports moreover showed that clamors of bomb threats triggered a chain of response for flight which resulted in a stampede that killed those who fell and got trampled over who are mostly senior citizens. However, Pasig City Mayor Vicente Eusebio reported that the stampede ensued after the massive crowd hastily went toward the gates, assuming they were already open, which resulted in the trampling of those in front.
According to Fergus Michaels, the event preyed on the social despair of the Filipinos which therefore reveals the poverty and desperation afflicting workers in the Philippines.
𝟒. 𝐑𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
December 30 is when we commemorate the martyrdom of Jose Rizal but unfortunately, on the exact date of the year 2000, five simultaneous bombings which killed 22 and injured 122 in Metro Manila roared and generated fear in the country and forever changed the security measures in the Philippines.
Reportedly, The international terror group Jemaah Islamiyah detonated five black powder bombs in Plaza Ferguson in Malate, a gasoline station across from the Dusit Hotel in Makati, the cargo handling area of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, a bus traveling down the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue in Quezon City, and the Blumentritt station of the Metro Manila LRT Line 1.
Apparently, Security analyst Rommel Banlaoi said in a CNN interview that the simultaneous bombings are connected with regional threats in Southeast Asia and at the same time, international threats with Al Qaeda which is a prominent terrorist group.
𝟓. 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬
No one can forget the hostage drama crisis stormed and aired live by the media on August 23, 2010, when a resentful former police officer identified as 55-year-old Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza opened fire after hijacking a bus at Luneta Park in central Manila with 22 Hong Kong Tourists and three Filipinos in an attempt to demand reinstatement after being dismissed due to accusations of robbery and extortion. As a result, 7 Hong Kong tourists were killed together with a Filipino Tour guide after a series of compromises with the police.
After the crisis, Hongkong Donald Tsang, chief executive of Hong Kong, called the case a “major tragedy,” and criticized the Filipino authorities while giving a ban for travels in the country.
Story by Benjamin Terrence Aggabao
