MALOLOS CITY—Tragedy struck the office of the Bulacan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) after five of its responders were killed in Sitio Galas, Barangay Camias in San Miguel, Bulacan at the height of Super Typhoon Karding Sunday evening.
Narciso Calayag Jr. (from left) perished early Monday after their boat was sucked away by flash floods in San Miguel town following Super
Typhoon Karding. Their death left their team chief, Liz Mungcal, in tears (below). Batang Malolos FB Page, ABS-CBN via Twitter
“Five dead bodies were recovered in different places in Brgy. Kamias early this morning (Monday) by residents. They are from the PDRRMO who were supposed to rescue residents trapped in the flash floods but unfortunately met their untimely death,” San Miguel Mayor Roderick Tiongson told members of the media.
Lt. Col. Romualdo Andres, chief of police in San Miguel, said the rescuers were wading through floodwaters when a wall beside them collapsed, sending them into the fast current.
The casualties were identified as George Agustin, 45, of Iba O’ Este, Calumpit; Troy Justin Agustin, 30, of Sta. Rita, Guiguinto; Marby Bartolome, 36, of Bulihan, Malolos City; team leader Jerson Resurreccion, 32, of Brgy. Catmon, Santa Maria; and Narciso Calayag of Malolos City.
The provincial government has assured families of the victims of all help to defray the costs of the burial as well as the immediate release of their insurance benefits.
“On behalf of the entire province of Bulacan, I sincerely thank and honor them for their heroism and faithfulness to their mission. They even sacrificed their own lives,” Bulacan Gov. Daniel Fernando said in a statement.
“Words are not enough to express my grief over the tragedy that beset our rescuers here in the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office,” he added.
Some 5,239 people in the province had to take shelter in evacuation centers due to Karding, according to the provincial government.
Close to 1,500 people remain in 17 evacuation centers in towns badly hit by flash floods, including San Ildefonso, San Rafael, Meycauayan City, San Jose Del Monte City, Malolos City, Bocaue, Sta. Maria, and Marilao.
