DAUIS, BOHOL, Philippines – A 2-year-old Badjao child was reported dead and at least eight motorized fishing bancas that took cover in nearby mangrove shorelines in this town were demolished by the super typhoon Pablo Tuesday afternoon when it hit the southern part of Bohol.
Reports said the child drowned at the height of the typhoon in the town’s coastal Barangay Totolan where some 500 Badjaos have been living, but the local disaster risk reduction management council was still verifying the incident.
Some 307 of the sea gypsies (Badjaos) took refuge at the Totolan Elementary School in this town Tuesday night due to rising seawaters that was feared to wash out their dwellings near the sea, said Dulce Alforque, municipal DILG officer in an interview.
School principal Saturnina Cerio Arcamo said the Badjaos were evacuated to safer grounds and Mayor Jimmy Jimenez ordered the social social welfare worker to provide them with canned goods and foodstuff until yesterday morning when they returned to their houses.
Johnny Obispo, former chairman of the Fishery and Agriculture Council of this town, told The Freeman that he helped rescue four fishermen who were drifted from the town of Loon, about 30 kms from here after the latter’s two boats capsized while fishing on the eve of Pablo’s onslaught. The fishermen already returned to their homes, after selling their catch, although their boats were no longer recovered.
Two other motorized fishing boats were destroyed, but eight crew members were saved after deciding to abandon the boats that were already being battered by big waves.
Another fishing fleet —— three smaller fishing boats and one bigger tonnage fishing boat owned by certain Apolonio Guillena —— were damaged by big waves as they tried to take cover at a nearby mangrove. (FREEMAN)