CEBU, Philippines — Though hard, there is no other choice but to accept it.
Grief-stricken relatives of the seven fatalities of the Iloilo sea tragedy, who all hailed from Barangay Ermita, Cebu City, told the media that it is now time to move on.
“Sa pagkakaron, gihinay-hinay na namo og dawat nga wala na sila para pud mahimutang sad sila. Move on lang gyud, then magpakalig-on (For now, we are slowly accepting that they’re gone so they can also rest in peace. We will just have to move on, and be strong),” said Jason Janson, 26, son of Bernardo Janson, who was among those who perished when three motorized bancas capsized in the Iloilo-Guimaras Strait last August 3 due to strong winds.
Aside from Bernardo, eight other family members died from the incident. Two of the total nine fatalities were buried in Iloilo at the request of their immediate family.
At the funeral in Cebu City yesterday, more or less 500 people, mostly residents of Barangay Ermita, joined the march from the barangay gymnasium where the mass wake was held to the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish-Recoletos on Leon Kilat Street.
After the requiem mass, the bodies were brought to the Carreta Cemetery for burial.
Romhel Baguio, the eldest of Baguio family whose members were among those who died, expressed his gratitude to the city government and the barangay for their help, particularly the mayor and the barangay captain.
“Pasalamat mi ni Mayor Labella ug labi na ni Kap Mark Miral nga nitabang gyud sa amo… mao gyud ang nag-abaga sa among mga panginahanglanon (Thanks to Mayor Edgardo Labella and Captain Mark Miral for helping us. They really shouldered our needs),” he said.
Miral, for his part, acknowledged the city’s help for his constituents in grief.
Miral requested four buses from the City Hall to transport the people who joined the funeral march and burial.
He also requested an ambulance from the disaster office in case emergencies would happen.
Labella and Vice Mayor Michael Rama, along with the other barangay officials, attended the requiem mass at the church yesterday. — David E. Mesias (FREEMAN)