Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines erupted in June 1991 after six centuries of dormancy, producing the second-largest terrestrial eruption of the twentieth century. The explosion ejected approximately 10 cubic kilometers of material and injected massive amounts of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere, causing global cooling of about 0.5°C for two years. Over 800 people died, and hundreds of thousands were displaced, including indigenous Aeta communities.

The Pinatubo eruption displaced indigenous Aeta communities whose oral traditions and contemporary Filipino poetry reflect on displacement, environmental change, and cultural survival. Filipino poets like Merlinda Storey Bobis and writers engaged with indigenous rights have addressed the disaster in works exploring the intersection of natural catastrophe, military presence (the eruption occurred near former U.S. bases), and postcolonial identity in Philippine literature.