Earthquake in downtown Manila.

[Averageman]

My wife and I went to Manila to get her new Philippine passport this morning and oddly enough got caught in downtown during an earthquake.
Manila is a huge City, with millions of inhabitants and everything is vertical.
So I'm sitting outside the main office waiting for her and having a Jollibee coffee and a breakfast sandwich and notice a vibration in the wall to ceiling glass. The Wife notifies me that we are having an earthquake and not to worry.
THEY'VE EVACUATED HER OUTSIDE.
Bear in mind we're on the ground floor of a twenty story building and surrounded on all sides by as large or larger buildings.
I'm lost as to the logic of evacuating to the street.

It would seem much smarter to stay in place to me than to go outside. I can assure you if stuff started falling or buildings began to collapse being in the bottom floor would seem much smarter to me than standing around outside in the street.

I finished my coffee and ordered another breakfast sandwich.
Am I wrong?

[TheAlsatian]

I lived in the PI from 1968 to 1972. Earthquakes were almost a monthly thing there. Most pretty minor but it was definitely a thing..

[Averageman]

This was 5.0 and centered in the Luzon area. Lots of nice houses were ruined and of all things a water tower collapsed.
Having lived in PI, I'm sure your familiar with the water issues that plague the area.
I was really concerned that they moved everyone outside where if it was a big one and buildings started collapsing you were in more danger outside than in the lower floors of a large building.

[Backfire]

I finished my coffee and ordered another breakfast sandwich.
Am I wrong?

Maybe try the chicken or spaghetti!

[Averageman]

Maybe try the chicken or spaghetti!

The Chicken is great, I can't do the spaghetti, too much respect for the real thing.

[Johnny Rico]

I've gone back to the mother country once since immigrating. After college, I stayed for an extended time before entering the real world. One day, I went to the movies to watch The Patriot with some cousins. About fifteen minutes in, an earthquake hit. Nothing too strong, anywhere from a 4-4.2. Strong enough to let you know it's an earthquake, not so strong as to make you book it for Rizal Park. Or so I thought. After the tremors, I went right back to watching the movie. My cousins on the other hand were freaking out and insisted we leave.

I'm surprised at the fear Filipinos have towards earthquakes. As their country is located in a geologically active area, you would think they'd learn to live with them. I also live in earthquake country. Earthquakes are a fact of life. Of course I could be the dumb one. I have no idea what the building codes are like over there, I'd be surprised if they are as stringent and demanding as they are here in California.

[SteyrAUG]

You need to hook a brother up with some balisongs.

[Johnny Rico]

You need to hook a brother up with some balisongs.

Lol...for flipping, the handmade Filipino knives don't hold a candle to the ones made by Benchmade or other modern manufacturers.

[SteyrAUG]

Lol...for flipping, the handmade Filipino knives don't hold a candle to the ones made by Benchmade or other modern manufacturers.

Jody Samson customs are grail knives, but honestly I've had some FHM that I prefer to some BM. I sold my 42 when prices went over $600 because I hated it. Titanium handles are too lightweight and it was only popular with flippers who needed ultra lightweights so they could spin it around like a cheerleader baton. As a potential fighting knife, sorta sucked.

I have a BM 63 just to have one, but really the 45 was the last serious balisong BM ever produced and that was just a carry over from their Pacific Cutlery days.

FHM ranges from tourists junk to high quality crafted knives.

[Johnny Rico]

As a potential fighting knife, sorta sucked.

I'm American now. If I need a fighting knife, I'm gonna reach for a bowie. :cool:

My grail knife was a Bill Bagwell bowie, custom made for me. Alas, the opportunity is gone with Bill's passing. Buying one on the secondary market is an option of course, but it's not the same as getting a knife that was optimized for your specific build and measurements.

[Averageman]

I've looked for knives and haven't seen anything interesting yet.
Definitely no Bali Songs. Lots of 12-16 inch machetes though.

[SteyrAUG]

I'm American now. If I need a fighting knife, I'm gonna reach for a bowie. :cool:

My grail knife was a Bill Bagwell bowie, custom made for me. Alas, the opportunity is gone with Bill's passing. Buying one on the secondary market is an option of course, but it's not the same as getting a knife that was optimized for your specific build and measurements.

Fixed blades always beat folders, though my preference is Gerber Mark II's. But the lockup on a quality balisong is impressive and is stronger than most other folding designs.

[SteyrAUG]

I've looked for knives and haven't seen anything interesting yet.
Definitely no Bali Songs. Lots of 12-16 inch machetes though.

If you do come across any, FYI Manila and Batangas (the other knife zone) put the locking latch on opposite sides of each other. Therefore the bite handle (the one you don't want to be holding when you flip) are reversed.

If ever you come across any, high quality examples have milled handles vs. sandwich style (folded metal and built in layers). The hinge pins should be a little beefy and not just a rivet the thickness of an ordinary nail.

Glad you had a "zero event" earthquake. Inside or on the street in the biz district, depending on the magnitude somebody is gonna lose. Archways and door ways are safest but I imagine you already knew that.

[Rob96]

I was stationed at Clark AB when the 7.7 earthquake struck Luzon in 1990. Weirdest experience I ever had. Basically the earthquake was the precursor to Mt. Pinatubo coming to life and erupting in 1991.

[SteyrAUG]

I was stationed at Clark AB when the 7.7 earthquake struck Luzon in 1990. Weirdest experience I ever had. Basically the earthquake was the precursor to Mt. Pinatubo coming to life and erupting in 1991.

That was a big deal event.

[Rob96]

I was in the 3rd SPS Squadron/3rd SPG. I remember I had just laid down for a quick nap after a shift and the quake hit. The ceiling was twisting and the dorm violently shaking. Tried to run, but no matter how you tried to run you were basically walking. Flew out then to San Fernando airport to provide security for our rescue ops. locals were tapping JP4 to try to use as lantern fuel.

[Averageman]

There is video of a water tower in Luzon doing a dance for a minute before it came down.
I imagine once that water starts moving it's over.

[Loner]

If you're in the Makati city area check out Makati Square mall. There's over 20 gun stores and a couple of tactical gear shops there.

[The_War_Wagon]

Anyone told Hank Johnson? Could be a prelude to the Philippines tipping over!