IT is striking that the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) does not assign names to earthquakes that hit the country in the same way that the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) gives a local name to tropical cyclones when they enter the Philippine area of responsibility.

There is, we think, a sound reason for resisting the temptation to also name earthquakes.