Wednesday, October 11, 2006 Dead miner leaves widow, 6 kids
SIX children, the youngest barely a month old, depended on Alfredo Bejasa for their daily needs.
Bejasa’s widow Elvira said that if Alfredo did not go to the mine, he worked in a small plot of land in Lower Manlapay, Dala-guete town in southern Cebu, farming vegetables for a living.
Lower Manlapay is a few kilometers away from the mine site in Barangay Balaas in the neighboring town of Argao.
Bejasa (not Belesa as earlier reported) earned P140 a day for eight hours’ work in the mines.
But if he worked 15 days straight, he got P10 more for each day he worked.
The newer miners were paid P120 a day, while those who have been there longer got P200 a day.
Elvira, who spoke to reporters yesterday, said she was not interested in filing a case against the management of Adlawon Mining Resources Corp.
However, she asked that they be given financial assistance.
Foreman Romulo Ortega and miners Roberto Demolosan and Andres Baluncas also suffered severe burns as a result of the explosion.
They also reportedly did not plan to file cases against the management because their financial needs were well-provided for.
Elvira learned of the incident when her aunt called on her at noon that day and brought her to Balaas, Argao.
When they reached the mine, she was told that his remains were already taken to the Tupas Funeral Home in Poblacion, Argao, some 25 kilometers away.
Bejasa was the sole breadwinner because Elvira stayed home to take care of their children.
Their eldest is a 10-year-old boy while the youngest is a daughter named Charisse, who will be a month old on Sunday.
Robert R. Go, who owns the mine, already paid for the burial arrangements.
The family will lay Bejasa to rest on Thursday.
Engineer Jack Mangalay, site engineer, said Go has already sent representatives to provide all the needed assistance of the three wounded miners.
As for Bejasa’s family, more assistance for the children’s education will be provided.
Felix Amper, Bejasa’s companion at the mine, lamented that it could have been him inside the tunnel when the explosion occurred.
He did not report to work that day because he opted to work on his farm in Barangay Salug, Argao, something most miners did.
Amper was stunned when he heard about what happened.
“Nakaingon gyud akong asawa nga maayo ra gyud wa wa ko mutambong kay naapil unta ko,” he said.
Jimmy Dayag, another miner, also quipped that he almost stopped Bejasa from entering the mine.
He had asked Bejasa to help him fix some tools that they use inside.
With the operations suspended, miners who had hoped to earn money yesterday returned home to tend to their vegetables. (MEA)
