Man adrift on "Styrofoam" box rescued off Apo Island

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines – A man who set out at sea in polystyrene, popularly known as Styrofoam, box early this week was rescued off Apo Island of Dauin town in Negros Oriental after strong ocean currents carried him away from his intended destination, Cebu province, a PNA report said.

The man, who identified himself as Reynaldo Roque, 31, married, of San Isidro, Leyte, had left Sitio Canday-ong in Barangay Calindagan, Dumaguete City, seemed to be not in his right state of mind when interviewed by police investigators, said SPO4 Joel Alcala, deputy chief of Dauin Police.

Alcala said Bantay Dagat personnel in Apo Island found Roque drifting at sea in polystyrene box Monday dawn and rushed him ashore. He was turned over to a police personnel assigned at Apo Island, who in turn brought him to the Dauin Police Station.

Alcala said Roque was mostly incoherent during police investigation but, despite his perceived mental illness, he bared that he was wandering around Dumaguete for awhile, sleeping at parks and scrounging for food to survive. Sometimes he would go for days without food, the man further claimed.

Before that, Roque said he found his way to Mabinay town, about two hours drive north of this capital, but was also made to ride a passenger bus back to Dumaguete. He also told the police he wanted to go to Cebu, where he has a cousin, to seek employment but that he did not have fare money.

After being processed by the DSWD in Dauin, Roque was given P500 pocket money and, on Tuesday, was accompanied by the Dauin police to the Sibulan wharf where he took the ferry across to the port of Liloan town in Cebu, Alcala said.

Additional information about the man, such as his family and relatives, was not available, Alcala added. - THE FREEMAN