San Fernando, Cebu: 2 men buried alive in cement mill, die
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The families of the two workers, who died after they were buried alive while cleaning the cement mill, appealed for help from the cement manufacturing company where they worked and the government.
Chaulin Sabayton, 45, and Joenil Baruedan, 46, were cleaning the spillage of the dust collector using a vacuum inside a cement manufacturing firm in San Fernando town in southern Cebu on Monday, November 18.
Baruedan, a foreman, and Sabayton, who were both residents of Brgy. South Poblacion, San Fernando, suddenly went inside the cement mill.
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The raw materials were collected by the dust collector.
When their bodies were recovered by the authorities, they were rushed to the nearest hospital. However, they were declared dead there.
In an interview with DySS Super Radyo Cebu, Sabayton’s wife and Baruedan’s wife said that they would no longer file charges against the company.
They said that the company initially promised to shoulder the medical and burial expenses.
But the wives are appealing to the company to also help them financially, especially for the education of their children.
Appeal for more financial help
Baruedan has five children while Sabayton left behind three children. Their respective wives have no jobs.
“Maatiman ug mopasalig sila nga ang mga bata gastohan nila sa pag-eskwela. Mao ra gyud na’y kuan sa asawa kay lisod man sad kaayo kay taas pa kaayo’g latason ang iyang mga anak,” Marivic Lariosa said, sister of Baruedan.
(They promised to take care and shoulder the expenses of the education of the children. That is what really the wife wanted because it would be very difficult for her especially since her children still had a long way to go.)
“Mahipos ang akong bana. Ang ako lang ang akong mga anak mahuman og eskwela, adlaw nga pagkaon, wa man sad koy trabaho gyud,” Georgina said, wife of Sabayton.
(My husband will be laid to rest. What I also wanted is for my children to finish schooling, our food daily, I really don’t have a job.)
They said that they were still waiting for the company to respond to their appeal for it to fund the schooling of their children and to fund their daily needs.
Aside from that, the victims’ families are also appealing to the government for financial help.
Meanwhile, the company has already submitted an incident report to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
Police Major Christian Bautista of the San Fernando Police Station said earlier that they would investigate who would be held responsible for the deaths of the workers.
San Fernando is a second class municipality in the Province of Cebu, which is located 29 kilometers south of Cebu City.