On lahar-scuttled plans: Thanks for report but some corrections

I thank the Inquirer for  putting out this story on the awards by the Pampanga provincial government and its civic leaders on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 (“FVR bares plan scuttled by lahar,” News, 6/19/16).

Allow me, however, to make some corrections for the record: (1) The criteria used were accessibility (land, sea, air), resources, skilled population, elevation (1,500-1,800 ft), near universities/colleges. (2) The preferred area was between Clark and Subic, or approximately above Floridablanca, Pampanga, at 1,800 ft or cooler than Tagaytay—not Cebu City (lack of water), not Marawi City (no deep water port). Ask former public works secretary Greg Vigilar (West Point, UP grad)—he’s still around. He also opined not to worry too much about another Mount Pinatubo explosion because that’s still 500-600 years away.

—FIDEL V. RAMOS