BY RHENJIE MARIE CALANTAS
ILOILO – A post-burial custom turned into a family tragedy at a beach resort in Barangay Baras, Guimbal town. Around 12 noon yesterday, July 5, two died in a drowning incident while six others were rescued.
Siblings Jan Charles and Justine Kyle Cadabos, 16 and 15 years old, respectively, were declared “dead on arrival” at the town’s Rep. Pedro G. Trono Memorial Hospital.
The family arrived at the Tinagong Dagat Beach Resort around 9:30 a.m. yesterday.
“Mga 27 kami ka bilog. Tagpalaligo namon kay si tatay napatay kag ginlubong ligad lang,” said Janella Cadabos, the older sister of Jan and Justine.
According to Captain Felice Dioso, chief of the Guimbal Municipal Police Station (MPS), “Ang duha, sang nakita sang aton rescue team, immediately gindara sa ospital kun diin gin-declare sila nga ‘dead on arrival.’ Na-recover sanda 12:10 p.m. kag gin-declare (dead) sanda 12:20 p.m.”
The six drowning survivors, on the other hand, were the following:
* Leo Verano Lagare, male, 50, married
* Zuwela Moreno Sabdani, female, 23, single
* Rhojani Moreno Sabdani, female, 19, single (in critical condition as of this writing)
* Norma Jullado Moreno, female, 52, married
* alias “Grace,” female, 16
* alias “Faith,” female, 10
They were taken to the hospital, too.
Dioso said the family from San Miguel town tried to move to clearer waters, which turned out to be a deeper part of the beach.
“Bangod ang ginapaliguan nila nga area medyo malubog na, ang tiya ginhagad ang mga kabataan nga mahalin sa another area. Samtang nagapakadto to sila, naka-step sila sa medyo madalum nga portion sang baybay kag didto na nga ginguyod sila sang balud kay very strong ang current,” said Dioso.
The Guimbal MPS and the rescue teams said the rain and strong waves may have pulled the victims further into the water.
“Una nagalangoy sila upod man kanday tita, kaso daw nag-grabe na ang balud. Tapos pag-abot sa punta daw nagburulag na sila, mga 10 a.m. guro na missing ang mga libayon ko,” said Janella.
The management of Tinagong Dagat Beach Resort said they did all immediate measures during the incident.
Lifeguard Phil James Pinuela, in an interview with Aksyon Radyo Iloilo, said he saw three women drowning and called for another lifeguard to help him with the rescue.
During the struggle to save the three, he, too, however, was pulled down the water.
Resort manager Mark Peñaredondo said they have two lifeguards on standby, life jackets and lifebuoy rings at the life guard post at all times.
He added the resort also had two rescuers who had undergone survival training.
Drowning – a serious issue
Drowning has long been considered a serious issue in the Philippines.
World Health Organization (WHO) officer Dr. John Go was quoted by the Philippine Information Agency last year as saying that drowning is “one of the important public health issues but often not adequately addressed in our communities and the country.”
The 2021 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that out of the 879,429 deaths that year, 3,604 were classified as deaths because of accidental drowning and submersion.
Go said that in the Philippines, over 3,000 people die of drowning every year, or an average of 10 Filipinos a day. Accidental drowning and submersion are likewise considered one of the leading causes of deaths among children.
Also in 2021, drowning was the second leading cause of death among children five to nine years old, next to diseases of the nervous system, which claimed the lives of 488 children in that age group that year. (With a report from inquirer.net)/PN
