IT’S a conundrum faced by many living in island communities.
Do they risk a dangerous sea crossing to get to their places of work or remain safely in their homes and end up losing their jobs?
Some of them choose the former, trusting the universe to get them to their destinations in one piece, driven by necessity.
That was what 10 persons from Barangay San Vicente in Olango Island did when, in the early morning of Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, they hired an unidentified motorbanca to ferry them across to mainland Lapu-Lapu.
They had already missed worked for several days after being stranded. Small vessels had been prohibited from sailing because of the inclement weather. The weather bureau Pagasa had issued a gale warning. Apparently, strong winds brought about by the southwest monsoon are common this time of the year.
Just last Saturday afternoon, Aug. 3, nine residents of Barangay Ermita, Cebu City lost their lives along with several others when their motorbanca capsized while trying to cross the Iloilo-Guimaras Strait.
Authorities are still investigating how the motorbanca was allowed to leave port, considering that trips were canceled earlier in the day after a vessel capsized trying to make the crossing.
The Olango residents must have been aware of what happened. But that didn’t stop them from leaving in secret, in the cover of darkness, around 4 a.m.
In the middle of their journey came their worst nightmare. Big waves started battering their small vessel. Seawater reached the engine, causing it to conk out. Water started to fill the motorbanca.
Before the motorbanca capsized, some passengers managed to call relatives in Barangay San Vicente, who immediately informed the village chief, Cyrus Eyas. Eyas mounted a rescue operation with the help of the Philippine Coast Guard and a private motorbanca, mb Joseph Express.
In his Facebook post, Nagiel Banacia, head of the Lapu-Lapu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said seven of the passengers were brought safely to the Hilton Wharf in Barangay Punta Engano around 6:15 a.m.
The boatman and crew they hired returned to Olango on board another motorbanca along with another passenger.
If I’m going to play the blame game, it will be hard to pinpoint the guilty. Trust me.
The boatman can’t well shoulder the burden of responsibility alone. He was, after all, only trying to put food on his table. And so were the people who hired him.
They should just thank their lucky stars they survived to tell the tale, albeit wet and probably cold. But alive.