When this issue of Flags Magazine was still in the drawing board, it was a common consensus in the editorial board that the biggest event happening on campus during the second half of school year 2013-14 was the Academic Festival.
The Academic Festival was a nine-day long series of events from October 25-November 2, 2013 which featured the Health Festival Weekend, the 14th International Conference, the 10th Anniversary Celebration of AIIAS Online, the Alumni Homecoming Banquet, and the 16th Theological Seminary Forum. The level of activities and number of visitors on campus was unlike any other time in the year rivaled only by Graduation weekend every March.
As the buzz had barely began to die down around campus when news came to our attention that a storm was forming in the middle of the Pacific ocean and was headed towards us. It was still around four days away, yet meteorologists were already giving warnings that this was going to be a strong one, possibly the strongest typhoon that would visit the Philippines in 2013. As it drew closer, international media joined the typhoon watch.
Forecast showed that the brunt of typhoon Haiyan wouldn’t hit the province of Cavite, but knowing the unpredictability of these weather distrubances, AIIAS residents were still advised by the campus coordinator to be prepared in case of emergency. Being the international community that AIIAS is, concerned friends and family from around the world kept vigil as we braced for Haiyan’s arrival.
The morning of November 8 dawned with news reports of the destruction being wrought on the eastern coast of Central Philippines by the 315km/hr winds that accompanied Haiyan as she moved across the islands. Live news reports became scarce as communication channels and cellular towers were brought down. We went to bed that night with the feeling of relief that we had survived the 25th typhoon that visited the Philippines in 2013. It was only the next morning that the first images of Tacloban began to trickle in. And as each day passed, the horror just continued to grow as the reality of the devastation left by Haiyan finally hit the stunned spectators.
“Change, Chaos, and Resilience: Thriving in a Turbulent World” was the theme of the 14th International Conferece and this best describes how members of the AIIAS family responded to the tradgedy. AIIAS may be an international graduate school and seminary directly operated by the General Conference for Seventh-day Adventist, but the kind of education it gives is best showcased in how its people responded to Haiyan’s aftermath.
By: Bruce Sumendap
AIIAS Public Relations Director
