Senate honors 'Ondoy' heroes

MANILA, Philippines - Four men who died saving people from drowning at the height of tropical storm “Ondoy” were honored by the Senate.

They are Muelmar Magallanes, Rolando Tocayon, Army Private First Class Venancio Ancheta and Army Corporal Adriano Regua.

Magallanes saved 30 people from raging floodwaters, including a seven-month-old baby.

While pulling out a corpse from murky waters, he drowned after being hit by debris.

Tocayon saved 10 people before drowning while trying to save more people. Magallanes and Tocayon were from Barangay Bagong Silangan in Quezon City where their remains were laid in state in an evacuation center.

Ancheta, 27, a native of Upper Calarian, Zamboanga City, was among those tasked to rescue trapped residents in Barangay Tunhac, Famy, Laguna.

According to the Senate resolution, Ancheta braved rampaging floodwaters and returned several times to bring stranded residents to safer ground.

While wading through floods and carrying a man on his back, a log struck Ancheta.

He brought the man to a safe place before he was swept away by the current.

Ancheta was able to rescue 20 people, but his team was able to save more than 600 others.

The Armed Forces bestowed on Ancheta the Bronze Cross Medal Award (posthumous) and he was posthumously promoted to corporal.

Regua, a member of the Army16th Infantry Battalion Alpha Company and Army response team detachment commander, led a rescue operation in Mabitac, Laguna at the height of Ondoy.

Regua’s team was traversing the 700-kilometer stretch of waist-deep floodwaters to rescue trapped residents when the water suddenly rose and a sudden surge swept them away.

Regua attempted to rescue one of his men but both were not able to make it. The remains of Regua and the four militiamen were recovered in Barangay Nanguma in Mabitac the next day.

The team successfully saved 200 residents in the area. Regua was awarded the Bronze Cross Medal and was posthumously promoted to sergeant during his interment at the Haven of Rest in Tanay, Rizal.

Others commended by the Senate were Filipino filmmaker Brillante Mendoza who won in the Cannes Film Festival in France, and lawyer Antonio Oposa Jr. for being a Recipient of the 2009 Ramon Magsaysay Award.

Former President Corazon Aquino was also honored by the Senate, along with the four honor guards who stood by her casket during the funeral procession.

The Senate also paid tribute to Filipino artist Francis Magalona and Odette Alcantara for her exemplary work as a passionate environmental advocate.