CECILIA Fenis finds it hard to accept that her only child, Ma. Reycille Sol Therese, 18, is now gone.
"Daw indi mo man mabaton kay only daughter mo man lang na siya, only child (You can't accept it because it's your only daughter, only child)," she said Wednesday, August 7, during the wake of at least eight victims of the Iloilo-Guimaras sea tragedy at the Jordan Gym in Guimaras Island.
Fenis's daughter was one of the 31 people who died after three motorized bancas capsized off Iloilo and Guimaras on August 3, 2019.
Fenis said Reycille was in Iloilo City on Saturday, August 3, to attend her class at the University of San Agustin.
Reycille was a first year Bachelor of Science in Accountancy student.
Fenis said her daughter informed her on Saturday through chat that the operation of motorboats plying Iloilo to Guimaras was cancelled on Saturday. Her daughter, however, texted her again, telling her that the sea waves were not that strong.
Reycille took the M/B Chi-Chi, which capsized in the Iloilo-Guimaras Strait around noon Saturday, August 3.
Fenis said she heard the news about the sinking of M/B Chi-Chi from a friend.
She then rushed to the Philippine Coast Guard office to check the names of survivors, but the list was not yet available that time. It was only hours after when she finally saw her daughter lying. She immediately conducted a CPR on the body, but to no avail.
Fenis said she wants to appeal to President Rodrigo Duterte, who was scheduled to visit the sea tragedy victims in Guimaras Wednesday, August 7, for assistance so her husband, Ray, can return home fast.
Ray is one of the overseas Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia.
Fenis said she needs her husband to help her prepare the burial of their daughter.
Duterte was not able to visit the wake of some of the victims in Guimaras due to inclement weather Wednesday, August 7.