Waves overturn boat in Lapu islet; 17 saved
By Jhunnex Napallacan, Dale G. Israel
Cebu Daily News
First Posted 13:57:00 05/13/2008
CEBU CITY, Philippines - Fishermen are warned to be careful of strong waves.
A fisherman was reported missing in Argao town, southern Cebu on Monday when he failed to come home after sailing out to the sea.
On Sunday, 17 persons, who had just attended a feast, were rescued when their motorized banca capsized off Caohagan Islet, Lapu-Lapu City.
The weather bureau based on Mactan Island has urged the public to be careful when sailing using small seacraft because of strong winds and waves spawned by the habagat or southwest monsoon.
A low pressure was also spotted in Western Luzon.
In Argao, the family of Reselle Zamora, 30, declared him missing on Monday when he failed to come home after he went out fishing about 4 a.m.
Senior Police Officer 1 Jaime Mendoza of the Argao Police Station said Zamora, a resident of Barangay (village) Langtad, would already be home between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.
But when he failed to come home by 3:30 p.m., his sister Elizabeth Geabroso went to the police station and reported him missing.
Geabroso told police authorities that they hired two pumpboats to search for her brother in nearby towns but they failed to locate him.
A day before, 17 persons were rescued when a small motorbanca capsized off Caohagan Islet, Lapu-Lapu City on Sunday afternoon after attending a fiesta celebration on the islet.
Police Officer 3 Candido Barinque of the Lapu-Lapu police investigation section, said the 15 passengers and two crew members were saved by fishermen who saw the incident past 4 p.m.
Four of the survivors were rescued by the group of Jason Abaño who came from Caohagan.
They were Richel Pino, 18, of Guizo, Mandaue City; Aileen Buayaban, 35, of Daanbantayan town and Rosalinda Malinao, 35, and her daughter Rey-An Malinao, 18, of Guizo in Mandaue.
Rosalinda said her son Raymond, 22, was also rescued by another fisherman.
Other survivors were Lotlot Monterde and her two relatives – Gina and Luz.
Barinque said they had yet to get the names of the other survivors because the police merely relied on the accounts of the four survivors who were brought to the police station on Monday morning.
Based on the survivors account, they went to Caohagan Islet on Sunday morning to attend the annual fiesta.
They each paid P30 in fare to the owner of motorbanca, Edgar Ayeng for the return trip. They passed by Santa Rosa on Olango Island before going to mainland Lapu-Lapu city.
But 15 minutes later, they encountered strong waves and winds, causing the pumpboat to capsize.
Aileen recalled she and her companions cried out for help to call attention of fishermen nearby.
The fishermen, however, could not help them because their pumpboats were small. But they informed barangay officials in Cahaogan, who immediately dispatched bigger pumpboats to rescue the passengers.
The group of Abaño first noticed the incident, and immediately rescued the four passengers. Abaño brought first home on Pangan-an Island where they stayed overnight.
On Monday, they were brought to Santa Rosa and then later to Lapu-Lapu City mainland with Abaño where they were given meals and other needs from the police office around 11 p.m.
The Provincial Board has also asked all local government units to come up with contingency measures in the wake of more rains in the coming days.
The Provincial Board passed the resolution sponsored Board Member Victor Maambong which read:
“This alarming forecast prompted this August Body to advise all LGUs of the Province to prepare and create contingency measures in the event of these foreseen bad weather conditions this month.”
According to the weather bureau of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) based in Mactan, Cebu and the rest of the Visayas would continue to experience rain showers and thunderstorms until Thursday.
Oscar Tabada, head of PAGASA Mactan, said a low pressure area was spotted 480 kilometers west southwest of Iba, Zambales.
As typhoon “Butchoy” exited on Monday, it gave way to a new low pressure area and induced monsoon rain over southern Luzon and the Visayas.
The typhoon slightly weakened as it swirled out of the country toward southern Japan around 8 a.m.
“We should expect moderate rainfall in these areas,” said Robert Sawi, PAGASA senior weather specialist.
Metro Manila and the rest of the country will experience cloudy skies with rain showers on Tuesday, according to Sawi.
Butchoy, packing maximum winds of 130 kilometers per hour with gustiness of 160 kilometers per hour, was spotted some 1,330 kilometers east northeast of Basco, Batanes at 10 a.m. on Monday.
For the past few days until it exited, the typhoon just hovered over water, and never made landfall.
Meanwhile, a low pressure area developed over the South China Sea, threatening to intensify into a tropical depression and prolong the southwest monsoon.
The low pressure area, a weather system that induces rain, was spotted 440 kilometers west southwest of Iba, Zambales at 10 a.m. on Monday.
“It has no effect yet, but once it moves closer to land, it might develop into a tropical depression,” Sawi said on the phone. “This might enhance the southwest monsoon over most parts of Luzon and Visayas.” /With Reporter Doris C. Bongcac and Inquirer
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