A victory party turned tragedy
BALASAN, ILOILO―Mary Ann Langreo and Mary Ann Labinghisa were both excited to go back to school after their semestral break last Monday.
The bubbly 13-year-olds had prepared their notebooks and books two days before their classes would resume. They also had ironed their school uniforms and readied their school projects for submission.
But they never went to school again.
On the first day of class, their classmates saw only their remains in white wooden coffins at the Crisme Funeral Homes in Balasan town, 128 km northeast of Iloilo City.
The two Mary Anns were among the six young girls aged 13-17 who drowned during a victory party of winning Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) candidates on November 4 at the Buendia Beach Resort in Barangay Barosbos in the neighboring town of Carles.
Aside from Mary Ann Labinghisa, two other SK councilors, Eden Aglinao, 16, and Lovelyn Bullos, 17, died in the accident. The other fatalities included sisters Rizza Arenajo, 16, and Cielo Arenajo, 14; and Mary Ann Langreo, 13.
SK chairperson Annie Mae Langreo, 16, and SK councilor Jeanette Salvador, 16, survived along with Rhee Ann Salle, 14.
The victims, all students of Balasan National High School, were from the farming village of Malapok around 1.5 km from the Balasan town proper.
The tragedy has shaken the quiet village of around 300 residents who are mostly relatives. Many Balasan residents are also in shock.
"This is the worst accident that we had as far as I can remember," said Balasan Mayor Filomeno Ganzon.
The mayor was himself at the party and had lunch with around 100 villagers, including barangay officials and the families of the victims. He went home ahead without swimming because the water was still at the low tide.
Annie Mae remembered the party as a boisterous feast. There were dancing, drinking, games and videoke-singing.
She said the SK council had planned the getaway to celebrate their victory in the October 29 elections. Almost the whole village came on board two Isuzu Elf trucks.
But no one had expected that the laughter and clapping would turn into shrieks of grief a few hours later.
Annie Mae said there were 18 of them, nine girls and nine boys, who had ventured farther away from the shore because the water had receded. They settled at Bugtong Bato, a large rock formation accessible during the low tide.
All the girls did not know how to swim so they started to go back to the shore after fishermen warned them that the water level was rising.
But tragedy struck while they were making their way back.
"Suddenly we felt like we were stepping on mud and before we knew it, the water was already over our heads," said Annie Mae.
The girls had tried to cling to the boys who knew how to swim but they were also trying to save their own lives.
Fear struck Annie Mae when she saw her cousin Rizza already floating face down.
"I was afraid that I would also not make it," she said. "I kept on bobbing and kicking just to gasp for air every time I surfaced until somebody pulled me ashore."
By this time, their families and companions were already trying to save as many as they can.
But it was too late.
Five bodies were retrieved by late afternoon. The remains of Lovelyn Bullos was recovered early the next day.
Mayor Ganzon said the municipal officials will provide financial assistance to the families of the victims including for the funeral expenses. "Nobody wanted this to happen."
But the tragedy has also raised calls to ensure safety measures in beach resorts.
Carles Vice Mayor Rodolfo Dumayas Jr. said the municipal council plans to pass an ordinance that will regulate the operation of beach resorts in their town.
This would include requiring resorts to provide lifeguards and installation of warning signs in beach areas that should be avoided by bathers.
But none of these measures can lessen the grief of the victims' families.
At the Crisme Funeral Homes were the remains were taken, the families of the victims were still in disbelief.
'They were very close to me and I had depended on them with the household chores," said Conchita Arenajo, 54, mother of Rizza and Cielo.
Both had promised her they would work after they have graduated to help their parents.
Annie Mae, said her sister, Mary Ann, had high scores in class and wanted to become a teacher. She loved to watch TV especially cartoon shows and was a fan of teen star Kim Chiu.
"She wanted me to buy her nice clothes but she would understand if I tell her that we could not afford it. It hurts me that she died without getting the things that she asked from me," said her mother Violeta, 45.
Friends and classmates of Mary Ann Labinghisa recalled her as a quite and good-natured girl.
"She could easily make friends with anyone because she smiles a lot," said her friend Irene Francelisa.
Mary Ann was close to her father Saldy him being the only daughter among his five siblings.
"The last time we talked she told me she wanted to take a computer course in college. I did not know that was our last time together," said Saldy.
Vicente Aglinao, 42, said his daughter Eden wanted to finish a two-year midwifery degree so that she could help her parents, both farmers.
"I work hard so that my children would have something to eat and get a better chance in life than what we had," said Vicente. "But in a just a wink of an eye, she was taken away."