THE bad weather brought about by tropical depression Usman did not stop Fr. Nazario Caiban from trying to cross the sea to spread the gospel in two barangays in Bantayan on Friday morning, Dec. 28.
“I was supposed to officiate two masses for the fiesta celebrations of Barangays Botigues and Luyongbaybay,” he said.
Caiban and three other men boarded a mechanized wooden boat. They left Barangay Tacup, San Remigio in the mainland at 6 a.m.
“It was a risky decision, but I took the risk because my parishioners were waiting,” said Caiban, the priest of San Isidro Labrador Parish in Doong, Bantayan.
He said there were times when a storm signal number was raised but the sea condition was calm.
Their boat’s engine, though, later conked out in the middle of heavy swells.
Caiban called Fathers Charles Jayme and Mony Cafino for help. The two priests informed the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) about the incident and sought the assistance of Caritas Village’s fisherfolk in northern Cebu.
PCG personnel from the sub-station in Barangay Hagnaya, San Remigio found Caiban and his companions Jeosy, Alnier and Walter Lopez around 10:40 a.m. near Tacup.
Caiban said he prayed for their safety while the boat went adrift.
He said they stayed calm by being optimistic that the rescuers would find them. His cell phone still had a signal at that time.
The priest and his companions heaved a sigh of relief when they saw their rescuers.
Usman is set to make landfall in Northern Cebu on Saturday, Dec. 29. Caiban said he is set to officiate a wedding in an island village that day, but he will not go if the PCG will not lift the suspension of sea travel. KAL, MCB