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Friday, August 04, 2006
Bodies of missing couple, kids found
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- The bodies of a couple and their two kids who were reported missing during the flooding that resulted from the heavy rains and waterspout that hit Balingasag, Misamis Oriental were found Thursday, authorities reported.
Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno and Camiguin Island Governor Pedro Romualdo said local officials were working closely together to have a relative of the family identify the two children.
The kids, whose bodies were found in Camiguin Island, were presumed to be the missing children of Ronald Ayuman, who was found dead in Kibanban, Misamis Oriental.
The body of Ayuman's wife, 22-year-old Anna Marie, was also found Thursday but this time in a small barrio at the outskirts of Barangay San Isidro in Balingasag.
Members of the Philippine Rescue 2000 under dxIF Bombo Radyo operations manager Micheal Angelo Bustamante said the strong river currents in the affected areas have calmed down but flood water is still high.
The Provincial Capitol sought the declaration of a state of calamity in the affected towns secure additional cash aid from the National Government.
Officials are also calling on the public to give support to the affected families through donations of cash or kind.
Kids found
Moreno, Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) head Teddy Sabuga-a, and Provincial Press Office chief Maricel Casiño said they earlier received reports that Ayuman's kids--Johanna, about three to four years old, and eight months old Junjun--have been missing from their home in Barangay Kibanban, Balingasag since the waterspout incident at 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
The discovery of the children's bodies in Camiguin Island brings the death toll to a total of four persons killed, all belonging to the Ayuman family.
Romualdo told Moreno that as soon as news reached them that a waterspout hit Balingasag, Camiguin island fishermen were immediately put on alert.
He said Thursday that one of the fishermen in Barangay Balite of the Municipality of Sagay found a body of a boy floating in the water.
In the afternoon, he said the body of a girl approximately four years old or below was found in the town of Guinsiliban, Camiguin.
Romualdo said his officials in the two areas immediately called him up and he ordered them to have the bodies prepared for identification.
"The bodies can still be identified as decomposition has not yet started...we are taking care of them (children's bodies) even putting up some flowers for them," he said.
He added that the boy's body is now at the Sagay Multi-Purpose Center while the girl's body is at a chapel in Guita-an, Guinsiliban.
Mobilized
Romualdo is now coordinating with Moreno to have the bodies identified by the children's relatives. The governor thanked Romualdo for his concern and support.
Some 95 families were reported affected by the floods in nine barangays in Balingasag and in two barangays in Lagonglong.
Moreno said Thursday the number of affected families had increased. "But the increase is only minimal," he said.
Also hit by the waterspout were barangays San Isidro, Lingagao and Kibanban.
Two Lagonglong barangays, Muhon and Kausawagan, were also reported affected by the waterspout.
Moreno said all departments of the Provincial Government were mobilized to provide immediate assistance in coordination with the Philippine Army Fourth Infantry Division and 8th Infantry Battalion.
He called on the civilian populace to take precautionary measures especially during this rainy season.
The PDCC said as of now the amount of damages rose to P30 million with P7 to P8 million in crops and livestock lost and P20 million worth of infrastructures destroyed.
Around P200,000 in houses were destroyed while P50,000 in partial damages to houses were sustained. (Lizanilla J. Amarga/Joey P. Nacalaban/Richel V. Umel of Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)
(August 4, 2006 issue)
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