AMACon 3: Oikos - Children

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WRITTEN BY:

aosfiction

"What time will you be back?" Richard frowned as he paced back and forth. He glanced at the door and saw his fellow bodyguards walking down the hall. He went out to follow them, as they were going to have a briefing of the events that occurred for the past two hours.

"Nandito na ako sa Alabang. Malapit na ako kina Dad. I'll be back this afternoon," His pregnant wife, Maine, said. "Don't worry."

"Paano ako kakalma at 'di mag-aalala? Ikaw ang nagda-drive papuntang Alabang. Sabi ko naman sa iyo na huwag ka nang pumunta doon e." He quietly said. He stopped in the hall, trying to put a quick end to this call.

"I don't want to discuss this with you right now, RJ. Tatay mo 'yun. Alam ko naman na hindi mo ako sasamahan na dumalaw doon, kaya gagawin ko na ito ngayon bago man lang ako manganak!" His stubborn wife replied on the other line.

Fine! Ang tigas ng ulo!

"Huwag kang magalit," Maine seemed to hear his thoughts. "I can manage, love. I will text you when I get there. Okay?"

"Alright. I love you. May meeting kami. I have to go."

"I love you, too." He heard her say and quickly ended the call. He went inside the briefing room just in time for the discussion has now started about the earthquakes that occurred since around seven this morning. The Philippine President was already inside and Richard quickly apologized for his late entrance.

Being one of President Baltazar's bodyguards, Richard and his team would ensure that their Commander-in-Chief and his family would be taken to safety. They have been briefed about the procedures when an earthquake happens and today's events seemed to be more crucial than they thought. He looked at the statistics on the projector. The PHIVOLCS provided the information today. There were at least ten reported earthquakes and everything occurred within the West Valley Fault. The highest that they have recorded on the Richter scale was at magnitude 4.1. They could not ignore this one. Millions of lives in Luzon were at stake in case the big one happens.

"Mr. President, PHIVOLCS has been constantly informing us about this." The Malacanang Palace's secretary continued, "The NDRRMC and the Armed Forces are now at work to prepare what is necessary. We don't want to take our chances because these recent earthquakes were very unusual. PHIVOLCS could not consider these as isolated cases anymore."

"Sir," Mark, the online administrator, raised his hand. "There were already trending topics for the Philippines in the social media about the earthquake. Madami na ding nakapansin ng mga ginagawang preparasyon sa mga evacuation sites na nakatalaga para dito. People started speculating already."

"Not good," The secretary shook his head.

"We have to inform the people about what was going on. We have to be prepared and try to save lives." President Baltazar said. "Hindi man natin kayang i-predict kung lilindol nga nang malakas pero hindi din natin gusto na mag-panic ang lahat."

"Surely, it's human nature to be curious and to react on it," One of the advisers said.

"Hindi natin maiiwasan iyon. Pero napaghandaan na ng NDRRMC ang magiging reaksyon ng mga kababayan natin," President Baltazar replied. "I was informed that they were slowly trying to take the people out towards the safe sites. Hindi natin pwedeng ipagsawalang-bahala ito ngayon. Mahigit sampung lindol sa loob lamang ng dalawang oras. Mas mabuti nang handa tayo." He looked at Richard. "Major Faulkerson?"