The capsized pump boat that carried CSWDO head Junard Abalos. | contributed photo
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — The show must go on.
Despite being soaked in seawater when their pump boat capsized at the coastal waters of Barangay Pangan-an on Thursday, City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) head Junard Abalos, and some personnel from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-7, continued the distribution of financial assistance for Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantage/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) beneficiaries.
Abalos said that on Thursday morning, October 20, 2022, he traveled from mainland Lapu-Lapu to Barangay Pangan-an, an islet barangay of Olango Island, together with six other workers from CSWDO and five DOLE-7 personnel.
CSWDO will assist DOLE-7 in distributing cash assistance of P4,000 each to more than 400 TUPAD beneficiaries from Pangan-an.
From the mainland, Abalos said that they boarded a bigger pump boat. However, when they were already near the shoreline of Barangay Pangan-an, the boat captain ordered them to transfer to a smaller pump boat because they might run aground due to the low tide.
After they transferred to a smaller pump boat and were about to start traveling again, the pump boat shook and they panicked.
“Sa sige ug uyog, nabali ang katig maong nabalitok gyud ang among gisakyan nga pumpboat ug nahulog mi sa dagat,” Abalos said.
Fortunately, Abalos said that the water was only neck-deep but their cell phones and the list of beneficiaries got wet. Some fishermen also brought them to dry land.
“Amo pa tawng gipauga kadali ang master list sa mga beneficiaries before mi nag-start sa financial assistance distribution,” he added.
Of the 400 TUPAD beneficiaries in the islet, Abalos said that only around 10 were not able to claim their financial assistance either because they were absent or they failed to secure an authorization letter from relatives who are the real beneficiaries.
Abalos added that he was just thankful that no one was hurt in the accident and that they were still able to fulfill their duty of distributing financial assistance to TUPAD beneficiaries. /rcg
ALSO READ:
Lapu-Lapu gov’t helps light up 560 Pangan-an homes
Mayor Suan warns TUPAD beneficiaries vs persons collecting fees