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Monday, March 01, 2004
28 Negrenses still missing, kin score poor treatment
By Erwin S. Delilan, Avelyn Z. Agudon and Roberto L. Bacasong
* Only Negrosanon Jaime Gomez and Preciosa Arsenal were confirmed rescued in Manila, records reveal
TWENTY-eight Negrense passengers are still missing after the ill-fated WG&A Superferry 14 caught fire in the vicinity of El Fraille Island, near Corregidor at the mouth of Manila de Bay.
At 6:25 p.m. Friday night, records from the Information Desk of the WG&A and City Mayor's Office at Bredco Port revealed the 27 names of the still missing passengers from different towns and cities in Negros Occidental.
Among them are Randy Bordaje, Mila and Angel Chavez, Arnold Cawaling, Leonisa Victorino, Shiela Malona, Melanie Custodio, Elizabeth Despi, Leah Rose Alemaria, Jose Italia, Jr., Lira Antonio, Don Gochoco, Maya Baylon and Anecito Balbin Tebedee Lonjas Sr., Gemma Pandis, Liza Escare, Janet, Bernard and Brust Ermina, Ma. Fee Amanico, June Gomez, Priscilla Aureno, Romulo Flaviano, Jr., Nona and Emilyn Luces, Gamie Cañete, Jennifer Antonio Arinal and Manuel Javelosa.
Raymund Ausente, boarding officer and passage relations officer, said the confirmation of the missing Negrenses was based on the information from their immediate relatives who trooped to their terminal Friday as of presstime Friday night.
Only Negrosanon Jaime Gomez and Preciosa Arsenal were confirmed rescued in Manila, the records further revealed.
The grieving families stormed the Superferry terminal as early as 2 a.m. Friday upon learning of the sea tragedy over radio stations in Bacolod and cable television channels from Manila.
Paul Eduard Wudrich, WG&A Superferry Bacolod area manager, advised relatives of the missing passengers to stay calm as he assured them that their company is doing its best to rescue all the missing passengers.
Bacolod Mayor Luzviminda Valdez, through the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), also provided an information desk at the Superferry terminal to cater to the information needs of the relatives of the missing passengers.
Bacolod Port Commander of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Leopoldo Laroya said reports from their national headquarters disclosed that the ill-fated passenger ship had 702 passengers and 159 crewmen on board.
Forty-one of them are classified as non-paying passengers, aged three years old and below.
The ship, according to the official report from the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), left Manila about 11:10 p.m. February 26 and caught fire around 1 a.m.
Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon, meanwhile, ordered the Provincial Disaster Management Team (PDMT) to be on 24-hour alert until the rescue operations are concluded.
Youngest passenger
Thomas John Bernardino, from Bacolod, was the youngest passenger of the vessel.
Bernardino, who is just seven days old, was rescued together with her mother, whose name was not immediately identified, of Roxas Avenue, Barangay 39.
Fiesta ship
The WG&A Superferry 14 is considered as the third youngest vessel of the company. It is also dubbed as the WG&A's third modern vessel. Wudrich said WG&A opened its route three years ago in Bacolod.
The ship's newest and modern features include an escalator, disco bar, corporate booth and shops for various souvenir items.
Dining rooms here were named after the famous Visayan fiestas such as Ati-Atihan of Kalibo, Aklan, Dinagyang of Iloilo City and Sinulog of Cebu City.
It has also a beauty parlor named after Bacolod City's famous MassKara Festival.
Poor accommodation
Families of the missing passengers, meanwhile, complained of the company's poor accommodation.
Maya Baylin, mother of the missing seaman Anecito Baylin Jr. said they arrived at the port early morning from Cadiz City, and until press deadline Friday night, they were still not given any room for rest.
They were hesitant to stay at the terminal because other relatives decided to go home due to the lack of an area for rest.
It was only at 6:30 Friday night when Gina Virtusio, WG&A PR and Corporate Communications manager, ordered the local office to do everything just to please the grieving relatives of missing passengers.
Wudrich offered food and their terminal as temporary resting place for the grieving relatives who stayed until Friday night to get updates on the search and rescue operations.
(February 28, 2004 issue)
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