The Philippines on two wheels - part three

The Dumaguete sign may have been damaged by the quake, but even if it wasn't, I like the picture.

The death toll could have been much higher. If there was a 'miracle', it was that an earthquake at 0812 Tuesday morning didn't happen the same time Sunday when churches here are packed.

Below is the Catholic church in Gord's village. It's old, built when coral blocks were laid with primitive mortar. Foliage, admittedly photogenic, chews into the walls further weakening the structure.

Had the earthquake been centered just a few miles closer, this could have collapsed. Indeed, some churches here on Negros were damaged in earthquake last year (in which more than a hundred were killed).

In New Zealand's 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, the impressive Nineteenth Century Anglican cathedral in Christchurch was badly damaged. There, discussions have focused on do you replace, why do you replace, how do you replace a large church from another time? What's the point of such buildings nowadays? But, that's in a developed, secular country. Here, it’s the impoverished faithful who’ll pay for restoration (possibly helped by a government using scarce public funds). Admittedly, the old Spanish churches were cultural treasures, but the Roman Catholic church in the Philippines is very comfortable with influence and display. What would the reforming Pope Francis say?

The Philippines is used to tragedy. It's happened before and will happen again. There's a fatalistic streak from a Spanish and Catholic heritage in a place where so many are poor. This most recent disaster will soon be largely forgotten by everyone but those directly affected.