Thursday, October 12, 2006
Honor for downed volunteer urged
A RELIGIOUS group is urging the Iloilo Provincial Board to honor the volunteer who died during a rescue operation in Songsongon Overflow, Igbaras.
Pastoral Counselor Teomarte Tayo of the Center of Grace, Inc. wrote Board Member Rodolfo Cabado to sponsor a resolution honoring Igbaras local volunteer, Marben Del Rio for his heroic act when a passenger vehicle was swept to the flooded river that resulted to the death of 22 people and 19 missing.
Tayo said, “I was listening to the radio coverage of the accident less than two hours after the vehicle fell into the river. At that moment, an Aksyon Radyo reporter, Jay Balnig, was reporting about the presence of several people, residents of Igbaras, who were trying to save the lives of some passengers of the ill-fated vehicle who were desperately clinging to outcroppings of rocks in the middle of the raging river."
He added, "The radio broadcast on how the these victims were eventually dragged down by the swirling waters, and the obvious anguish in the voice of the reporter who can only watch helplessly and report the tragedy to his listeners, will surely take prominent place in the annals of airlane journalism in Iloilo."
Tayo added that the tragedy of the accident was deepened by the report that the residents, who were valiantly attempting to reach and rescue those who were clinging to the rocks, were swept down the river, and that one of the rescuers died." The said rescuer was Marben Del Rio.
"Del Rio lost his life with, I am sure, only one thing in mind at that moment: that the life of another human is in danger and that he is there and he is not going to turn his back and walk away," Tayo added.
The Center of Grace is requesting the Province to give a posthumous award for heroism to Marben Del Rio and recognition to the heroic attempts of his companions to effect the rescue.
They added, “The act of Del Rio exhibited the highest form of love --- the one that the world is in dire need of today."
"This love was recently given to humanity by a simple Filipino from a small village in the remote town of Igbaras, in the province of Iloilo. This is something we in the Philippines should be proud of; should recognize and honor," the letter stated.
Today, Governor Niel Tupas Sr sent 50 sacks of rice for the victims of the said tragedy.
Tupas designated Board Members Macario Napulan of the 1st District and Domingo Oso of the 4th District to do the distribution.
On Wednesday, Tupas called the attention of Del Rio's parents to get their P5,000 assistance from the Provincial Government and plaque from the governor's office in recognition to Marben's heroism. (JDB)
(October 12, 2006 issue)
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