Punongbayan, along with the Phivolcs team of Dr. Jessie Daligdig, Dr. Norman Tungol, Dindo Javier and Orlando Abengoza and four Philippine Air Force personnel, was killed in a helicopter crash in Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija last April 28.
They were on the way "to assess the various natural hazards" in the area of Dingalan, Aurora and Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija in relation to the selection of a safe site for the rehabilitation and resettlement of affected communities during the 2004 typhoons.
The death of Punongbayan, who was catapulted to fame when he successfully predicted one of the world’s largest volcano eruptions in the last century — that of Mt. Pinatubo on June 12 to 15, 1991. The eruption shocked the nation, Phivolcs personnel and geological scientists all over the world.
Charred beyond recognition, the remains of Punongbayan and the other victims were identified by DNA testing conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 18 days after the crash caused by bad weather and the pilot’s reported unfamiliarity with the terrain. Their remains were cremated last Wednesday night.
Punongbayan’s ashes, contained in a marble urn no bigger than a milk tin can, were scattered on his favorite spot of the volcano by his children Lulu, Stauro, Ramon Enrico and Julie Andalus while granddaughter Bea, daughter-in-law Lynne, and sisters Flor Punongbayan and Fely Punongbayan-Yben watched from the side of the outrigger boat.
A simple man that he was, Punongbayan would not have wanted last rites ceremonies, said his daughter Lulu earlier in the day at the Phivolcs station in Barangay Buco, Talisay City where family members, colleagues of the fallen Phivolcs director, relatives and close friends gathered to pay their final respects.
"There will be no ceremonies this morning but daddy’s memories will always be with us and we hope his work will continue to inspire those that he left behind at Phivolcs," Lulu said as she thanked everyone who came.
When he was still alive, the former Phivolcs chief had told his children of his wish to be cremated after he died and his ashes to be scattered in Taal Volcano, which to him was his refuge and haven. His children, sisters and Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum made sure his wish was fulfilled.
Eight outrigger boats, led by the one bearing Punongbayan’s children and sisters Flor and Fely, took off from the Phivolcs Station in Barangay Buco, crossed the eastern side of Taal Lake, and gathered about in a circle at Panikihan, his favorite spot that is very close to the Binintiang Malaki.
"This is where he bathed whenever he was in Taal Volcano," Solidum reminisced as he spoke with The STAR, adding warm water from beneath the volcano springs forth at Punongbayan’s favorite spot.
When the outrigger boats had completed the circle, Lulu opened the tiny urn and together with Stauro, Eric, and Julie, scattered their father’s ashes amid the flowers lovingly strewn about by those who laid Dr. Raymundo Punongbayan to rest and bid him goodbye.