DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 22 January) – Christopher Bulig, a crew member of the ill-fated MBCA Amejara, remains in a fragile emotional state following his rescue at 10:46 a.m. on January 20 after almost two days at sea, a social worker of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Davao said Thursday.
In a press conference at the Coast Guard Station at Santa Wharf on Thursday, Gemma dela Cruz, social welfare officer of the DSWD-Davao, said the survivor is currently confined and recovering at Camp Panacan Station Hospital, where he is undergoing psychosocial first aid.
She said the survivor is still unable to recount what happened when MBCA Amejara capsized, and would become emotional when trying to narrate the incident.
She quoted Bulig as saying that the boat capsized at dawn on January 19.
“As observed yesterday, there were instances when he appeared unsettled. So we really need to give him enough time. And he promised that once he is ready, he will coordinate,” she said.
She said Bulig, his family’s breadwinner, has been reunited with his parents and siblings.
Lt. Commander Jerome Bryan Mauring, spokesperson of the Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao, said that medical doctors attending to Bulig reported that he suffered from dehydration and is receiving medical treatment.
He added the survivor could not be given injections as his veins had shrunk due to fluid loss.
“Hindi pa sya maturukan kasi yung veins nya is tuyot. Yung request ng survivor is give him space muna so that he can recover fully (He could not yet be given an injection because his veins were dried out. The survivor requested to be given space so that he can fully recover),” he said.
Mauring said a person can survive at sea for seven days without food and water.
The survivor was spotted drifting between the municipal waters of Barangay Laker in Sarangani town and Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental.
Dela Cruz added that Bulig, who had taken off his life vest to move freely, attempted to swim to the shoreline to call for help.
She added that he is grateful that he survived, while at the same time expressing guilt over the 14 others who remain missing.
“He was still hoping and praying that his companions would be safe. So that was the first thing that came to his mind. But all the incidents that happened there, he was not able to divulge to us,” she said.
The social worker said Bulig remains hopeful that the others will be rescued soon.
Mauring said the investigation is ongoing to determine where the boat sank.
At 2 p.m. on January 19, Mauring said they received information about the distressed boat through a report from the wife of one of the passengers, who had received a message that the vessel had capsized due to rough sea conditions while traversing Davao Gulf.
According to the Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao, a total of 24 floating assets, including BRP Malawi, BRP Panglao, and S-70i Black Hawk Helicopter No. 101 of the Philippine Air Force, have been deployed to assist in the search and rescue mission in the Davao Gulf. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
