Surigaonons mourn over motorboat tragedy

by Fryan E. Abkilan

SURIGAO CITY (November 28) — A mood of gloom and shock has reportedly engulfed Surigaonons over the sea disaster of the motorboat Leonida 2 where 14 people died.The 150-seat motorboat sank near Hinatuan Island on Saturday, November 25 with more than 100 people on board. Gov. Robert Lyndon Barbers, Provincial Disaster and Coordinating Council (PDCC) Chairman said that only 14 bodies had been recovered and latest reports said that about 66 people have been rescued so far and at least 15 people, including Del Carmen Mayor Arlencita Navarro, remained missing,.

The boat left Surigao City bound for Del Carmen town when it sank about an hour after leaving the port of Surigao City. City Mayor Alfonso Casurra said in an interview the boat encountered unusual rough waves. All available vessels sailed to the disaster scene in an effort to rescue survivors. Reports said the ferry boat can carry 100 to 150 passengers. PDCC reports also said the ill-fated motorboat was fully loaded with 300 bags cement and some travellers had expressed concern of its condition.

Identified fatalities are Percy Jornales, Evangeline Sumando, Enrika Nier, Rogelia Pacqueo, Karen Salucop, Karen Jornales, Kenny Ken Madrio, SB member Juanita Comon, Estelito Comboy, Arlene Sulima, Lina Jornales, Froilan Dulpina, Karen Claire Rondes and Roslyn Golo.

The Board of Marine Inquiry is set to convene to look into the circumstances of the disaster. Rumors said that the boat was overloaded with cargoes. But Philippine Coast Guard chief here denied that overloading was the cause of the accident because the ship was carrying only a tenth of the cargo capacity.

Local officials here are still hopeful for more survivors as the rescue operations were continuing. (PIA Surigao del Norte)

Bus terminal in Gingoog City

DREAM project gives out books to BDIC centers

Koronadal, South Cotabato (30 November) — For DREAM project, the giving out of books to needy ones is not just a promise but a commitment. This was proven true when the Barangay Development Information Council (BDIC) centers of this town individually received boxes containing books for children last November 17.

The distribution of books to BDICs was made possible through the efforts of Sagittarius Mines, Incorporated (SMI) consultant Fraulein A. Oclarit in coordinating with the Local Government Unit of Tampakan and the Community Development Information Council (CDIC) of Tampakan.

Dubbed as “Democratizing Reading Among Mindanaoan Children (DREAM)”, the project is aimed at promoting the reading ability among children from poor families in the remote barangays of this municipality. SMI Consultant Oclarit who personally meet the Barangay Captains and the BDIC Chairmen at the information office prior to the distribution of books exhorted them to use the reading materials with care and to manage their BDIC centers properly so that barangays folks specially children could make use of it. The Municipality Library (Aklatan ng Bayan) and the elementary schools here were also the recipients of books from DREAM project. (EAV/PIA 12)

Sunrise over the foothills of Mt. Apo

Refreshing Pool at the Lantaka Hotel, Zamboanga City