THREE major earthquakes recently rocked the countries of Turkey, Taiwan and Mexico within weeks of each other, causing thousands of casualties.

In the aftermath of these disasters, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Siesmology (PHIVOLCS) issued an announcement alerting the local population that a major earthquake (i.e., one of intensity of 7 or stronger in the Richter scale) might rock Leyte. Their premise is that the entire island of Leyte, which sits astride a portion of the Philippine earthquake fault, had not experienced a tremor of such magnitude in nearly a century.

Earthquake experts had explained that the recent major tremors around the world were of "tectonic" origin, that is, they were caused by movements of the earth’s crust. But how did our grandparents in the rural areas perceive earthquakes before radio, television, and newspapers became household items and sources of information?

In accounts recorded in the early '50s, oral informants in the present island province of Biliran had a story about the origin of earthquakes. The tale went this way:

In the olden days, when humans were closer to God, there lived a man named Piak Bato (Crack Stone). He could crush a stone in his palm, and he was able to prove that he was the strongest man in the world.

Then pride overcame Piak Bato. He dared God to a contest of strength.

The challenge enraged God, who ordered his followers to imprison Piak Bato in a cell between big rocks under the earth. And this was done.

Until now, Piak Bato remains a prisoner. Occasionally, he would move or turn inside his prison, and this causes the earth to tremble.

Another tale tells about how people behaved during earthquakes. When the earth shook, they shouted "bhuu, bhuu, bhuu," as if they were shooing a pig away. They did this when stray pigs roamed our villages, and these animals usually scratched their sides on the tall and shaky posts of the typical wooden houses.

In our day, many people live in concrete, bungalow-type houses in suburban areas. To them a pig comes in the form of pork bought from the market. And when the earth shakes, they murmur "Linog" (earthquake) and make sure that the TV set, refrigerator or utensil display cabinet will not tumble down from their positions. Never mind if they don’t understand the meaning of "tectonic" in the next day’s news reports.