Navy officer loses all 3 children in Tacloban

MANILA, Philippines - "Pa, magdadara ka pagkaon pag-uli mo ngadi Tacloban. (Papa, bring us food when you come home to Tacloban)."

These were the last words that naval officer Ramonito Sabang, commander of a patrol ship, heard from his children the night before they died of drowning in a 15-feet sea water that violently surged into the city as super-typhoon Yolanda pounded overhead last November 8.

The night before the monster howler struck the Leyte capital, Sabang recalled having a conversation with his daughters.

"I told them to prepare everything. I told my wife to coordinate with our neighbor for their transfer for them to be safe; but my children didn’t want to leave. I don’t know why ... Napakasakit. Tatlong anak ko ang nawala," he said.

Sabang could not help shed a tear recounting the demise of his three children, 16-year-old Iralyn, 11-year-old Shaira May and 9-year-old Mikaela Marie. Their house helper Marilyn, 20, was also caught in the sudden wave that slammed into the family's home.

At the break of dawn on Friday, when they were about to leave their house, a small wave suddenly rushed into the village. Sabang's wife, Irene, turned their wooden locker into a makeshift raft when a second, bigger wave slammed, thrashing a container van onto the house.

Frightened, the kids alighted from the locker and climbed up the roof just when a third, much larger wave cut through and carried them away.

Irene, meanwhile, unconsciously hung on an electric post.

When the waters subsided, Irene was found at the bottom of the concrete post, while the bodies of the children and Marilyn were found almost two kilometers away from the house.

Sabang, fearing for his family but without a clue yet of their fate, immediately sailed to Tacloban on the first Navy ship that took a trip there, arriving at the night of November 10. Reaching their village in the middle of the night, Sabang got wind of his family's suffering through a neighbor.

At that time, Irene, along with other neighbors, were burying the children's remains in a mass grave along with other bodies close to the local cemetery.

Holding on

Naval commander Gilbert Pacio said that Sabang was "completely broken hearted" but he never blamed God nor anyone for what happened.

"He continues to believe in the Lord and the more he holds on to his faith," Pacio said.

Having brought pasalubong and vitamins, Sabang at first wanted to throw the food away as his children would not anymore have use for the items but realized afterward that other surviving kids have not yet eaten for two days.

"The story of Cdr. Sabang is just among the many sad stories of Navy sailors. He has been dedicatedly performing his mission in Mindanao to pre-empt any possible entry of lawless elements and to maintain peace," Pacio said.

Also read: In a frenzy from Manila to Tacloban, woman rescues 14

"Like every sailor and Marines in the Philippine Navy, being away from their families is part and parcel of their job," the officer shared.

Irene, who has moved out of the disaster-torn city, is currently recuperating after sustaining injuries from the incident. The couple plan to return to Tacloban 40 days from the children's death hoping for a proper memorial service.