Pangasinan fishers seek Palace help

INFANTA, Pangasinan — "Madam President, please help us."

This is the collective appeal of more than 200 fishermen from Barangay Cato here who had survived several days in the high seas after big waves destroyed their motorboats when they went fishing off the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea last Dec. 16.

Charlito Manigo, Barangay Cato chairman, and Infanta Mayor Ruperto Martinez wrote President Arroyo through Undersecretary for Local Governance Antonio Villar Jr., a Pangasinense, on Dec. 30, appealing for financial assistance to (help the fishermen) start a new life.

"As a result of this tragedy, our fishers are still in a state of trauma and have never gone out fishing again since Dec. 16," they wrote.

They recalled that some 250 fishermen, mostly from Barangay Cato, went out to fish in the South China Sea last Dec. 16.

"Unfortunately, the dreadful and devastating northwest wind suddenly blew up so strong like a typhoon, causing heavy damage to the lives and boats of the fishermen. Many motorboats were totally destroyed and some fishermen were rescued after several days without food," they said.

Manigo told The STAR that 15 fishermen have remained missing and that their relatives have given up hope of finding them.

"Madam, the problem now which (is taking) us pain to solve is the plight of our indigent constituents (the victims of the tragedy), how to provide them with assistance to ease their sorrows and pain during this Yuletide season," Manigo and Martinez told the President.