Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth.
--CHANAKYA :
He who is educated only in mind is a best friend of those who love learning and expansion of knowledge. He who is educated both in heart and mind is a best friend of those who love wisdom and preservation of life from all living things to natural environment.
--ALEX P. VIDAL
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Thursday, April 27, 2017
Poor showing in Palaro alarming
"Sports do not build character. They reveal it."
--Heywood Broun
By Alex P. Vidal
NEW YORK CITY -- There seems to be no real challenges and rivalries among the Philippines' young athletes today.
Their lead in the official medal tally as of this writing shows that National Capital Region (NCR) athletes are poised to again wrap up the 2017 Palarong Pambansa in San Jose, Antique.
As hosts, athletes from the Western Visayas Regional Athletics Association (WVRAA) are supposed to dominate the annual multi-sport event involving student-athletes from the Philippines' 18 regions.
It's not about which sports regional associations finished first, second or last. It's about the disparity in the medals won. It's about which athletes broke most of the national records.
And it appeared to be an all-NCR show in as far as the number of gold, silver, and bronze medals that have been, so far, collected, is concerned.
This is not a good sign if we aim to use the event as recruitment hub for future members of the RP Team in the SEA Games, Asian Games, and the World Olympic Games.
TALENTS
Submission of talents for the national team to be financed by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and governed by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) should be democratic or should come from the cross-section of the country.
Athletic forces must be shared by regions nationwide through equal opportunities in building of more facilities and grassroots training and development programs.
As of April 26, 2017, or two days before the culmination of the week-long competitions with a motto, "Converges Youth Power; builds sustainable future," NCR has amassed 50 golds, 27 silvers, and 20 bronzes as against the 14-7-11 (G-S-B) collections of would-be second placer WVRAA.
Negros Island Region (NIRAA), with 10-11-11 (G-S-B) was breathing neck and neck with Cordillera Administrative Region (CARAA), with 10-8-7 (G-S-B).
HAUL
Most of NCR's gold medal haul came in swimming, where most tankers trained in world-class or Olympic-sized pools in Metro Manila.
Records were mostly shattered in the pools.
The Ilonggos were still deadly in track and field, but CARAA runners proved to be the track oval head turners in the games that started in 1948 as the Bureau of Public Schools-Interscholastic Athletics Association Games or BPISAA before it became a Palarong Pambansa.
It looked like WVRAA and other regions needed to modify and reinvigorate their grassroots programs in swimming and should not focus heavily on track and field and other ball games.
OBJECTIVES
Article XIV, Section 19 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution mandates the holding of the Palarong Pambansa with the following objectives:
-Physical Education and sports as an integral part of the Basic Education curriculum for holistic development of the youth;
-Inculcate the spirit of discipline, teamwork, excellence, fair play, solidarity, sportsmanship, and other values inherent in sports;
-Promote and achieve peace by means of sports;
-Widen the base for talent identification, selection, recruitment, training and exposure of elementary pupils and secondary students to serve as a feeder to the National Sports Association (NSA) for international competitions; and
-Provide a database for a valid and universal basis to further improve the school sports development programs.
--Heywood Broun
By Alex P. Vidal
NEW YORK CITY -- There seems to be no real challenges and rivalries among the Philippines' young athletes today.
Their lead in the official medal tally as of this writing shows that National Capital Region (NCR) athletes are poised to again wrap up the 2017 Palarong Pambansa in San Jose, Antique.
As hosts, athletes from the Western Visayas Regional Athletics Association (WVRAA) are supposed to dominate the annual multi-sport event involving student-athletes from the Philippines' 18 regions.
It's not about which sports regional associations finished first, second or last. It's about the disparity in the medals won. It's about which athletes broke most of the national records.
And it appeared to be an all-NCR show in as far as the number of gold, silver, and bronze medals that have been, so far, collected, is concerned.
This is not a good sign if we aim to use the event as recruitment hub for future members of the RP Team in the SEA Games, Asian Games, and the World Olympic Games.
TALENTS
Submission of talents for the national team to be financed by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and governed by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) should be democratic or should come from the cross-section of the country.
Athletic forces must be shared by regions nationwide through equal opportunities in building of more facilities and grassroots training and development programs.
As of April 26, 2017, or two days before the culmination of the week-long competitions with a motto, "Converges Youth Power; builds sustainable future," NCR has amassed 50 golds, 27 silvers, and 20 bronzes as against the 14-7-11 (G-S-B) collections of would-be second placer WVRAA.
Negros Island Region (NIRAA), with 10-11-11 (G-S-B) was breathing neck and neck with Cordillera Administrative Region (CARAA), with 10-8-7 (G-S-B).
HAUL
Most of NCR's gold medal haul came in swimming, where most tankers trained in world-class or Olympic-sized pools in Metro Manila.
Records were mostly shattered in the pools.
The Ilonggos were still deadly in track and field, but CARAA runners proved to be the track oval head turners in the games that started in 1948 as the Bureau of Public Schools-Interscholastic Athletics Association Games or BPISAA before it became a Palarong Pambansa.
It looked like WVRAA and other regions needed to modify and reinvigorate their grassroots programs in swimming and should not focus heavily on track and field and other ball games.
OBJECTIVES
Article XIV, Section 19 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution mandates the holding of the Palarong Pambansa with the following objectives:
-Physical Education and sports as an integral part of the Basic Education curriculum for holistic development of the youth;
-Inculcate the spirit of discipline, teamwork, excellence, fair play, solidarity, sportsmanship, and other values inherent in sports;
-Promote and achieve peace by means of sports;
-Widen the base for talent identification, selection, recruitment, training and exposure of elementary pupils and secondary students to serve as a feeder to the National Sports Association (NSA) for international competitions; and
-Provide a database for a valid and universal basis to further improve the school sports development programs.
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
A devil's vehicles
"We are in a world that is quite extremist and extremism makes more noise. Normality does not sell."
--Vicente del Bosque
By Alex P. Vidal
NEW YORK CITY -- We congratulate the Iloilo City Council in the Philippines for putting an end to the abuses of motor vehicle owners who used modified mufflers that caused terrible noise, inconvenience, and irritation without any concern to the public.
Irked pedestrians and observers referred to vehicles using modified mufflers as "a devil's vehicles" and wished they disappeared in the roads soon.
It was learned that if the muffler had a hole, it could cause dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide to leak into the cabin of a vehicle.
The colorless, odorless gas was reportedly a product of the combustion process.
Back in 2013, based on a personal experience, I've noticed while staying outside a big mall in La Paz district, Iloilo City, where a large number of vehicles using modified mufflers passed by, that mild exposure to carbon monoxide could give me headaches, dizziness, and nausea.
EXPOSURE
In fact, health authorities have warned that a prolonged carbon monoxide exposure can lead to unconsciousness and death.
Kudos to the local legislature for recently passing an ordinance penned by Councilor Joshua Alim seeking to prohibit the “Selling and Using of Modified Mufflers of Public and Private Motor Vehicles in Iloilo City and Providing Penalties Thereof”.
Before Alim's ordinance was passed, many homeowners' associations, cities, restaurants, and apartment complexes in other cities have adopted laws against loud noises from defective mufflers.
Those who used a broken muffler faced fines or refusal of service until they got the muffler fixed. A damaged muffler can reportedly cause a car trip to be noisy and uncomfortable.
-o0o-
We first heard of the "Sleeping with the enemy" in 1991 as the title of a psychological thriller movie starred by Julia Roberts and Patrick Bergin and directed by Joseph Ruben.
It was based on a novel of the same name by Nancy Price.
Roberts played a woman who escaped from her sadistic husband, from Cape Cod to Cedar Falls in Iowa, where she captured the attention of a kindly college drama teacher.
In the 1992 Philippine presidential elections, the late former House Speaker Ramon Mitra accused some of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) members who supported the candidacy of Lakas bet Fidel V. Ramos of "sleeping with the enemy".
Those who "cavorted" with FVR had earlier voted for Mitra to be the LDP's official standard bearer. FVR formed the Lakas, which later became a Lakas-NUCD, when he lost to Mitra in the party convention.
"Sleeping with the enemy" became a byword once again when Police Supt. Maria Cristina Nobleza and suspected Abu Sayyaf member Renierlo Dongon were arrested in a checkpoint in Bohol recently.
They were reportedly trying to provide assistance to the remaining Abu members trapped in the province after being waylaid by government troopers when they sneaked in before the Holy Week.
Nobleza compromised her duties and responsibilities and loyalty to the country because of her love for the younger suspected terrorist.
Truly love conquers all.
--Vicente del Bosque
By Alex P. Vidal
NEW YORK CITY -- We congratulate the Iloilo City Council in the Philippines for putting an end to the abuses of motor vehicle owners who used modified mufflers that caused terrible noise, inconvenience, and irritation without any concern to the public.
Irked pedestrians and observers referred to vehicles using modified mufflers as "a devil's vehicles" and wished they disappeared in the roads soon.
It was learned that if the muffler had a hole, it could cause dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide to leak into the cabin of a vehicle.
The colorless, odorless gas was reportedly a product of the combustion process.
Back in 2013, based on a personal experience, I've noticed while staying outside a big mall in La Paz district, Iloilo City, where a large number of vehicles using modified mufflers passed by, that mild exposure to carbon monoxide could give me headaches, dizziness, and nausea.
EXPOSURE
In fact, health authorities have warned that a prolonged carbon monoxide exposure can lead to unconsciousness and death.
Kudos to the local legislature for recently passing an ordinance penned by Councilor Joshua Alim seeking to prohibit the “Selling and Using of Modified Mufflers of Public and Private Motor Vehicles in Iloilo City and Providing Penalties Thereof”.
Before Alim's ordinance was passed, many homeowners' associations, cities, restaurants, and apartment complexes in other cities have adopted laws against loud noises from defective mufflers.
Those who used a broken muffler faced fines or refusal of service until they got the muffler fixed. A damaged muffler can reportedly cause a car trip to be noisy and uncomfortable.
-o0o-
We first heard of the "Sleeping with the enemy" in 1991 as the title of a psychological thriller movie starred by Julia Roberts and Patrick Bergin and directed by Joseph Ruben.
It was based on a novel of the same name by Nancy Price.
Roberts played a woman who escaped from her sadistic husband, from Cape Cod to Cedar Falls in Iowa, where she captured the attention of a kindly college drama teacher.
In the 1992 Philippine presidential elections, the late former House Speaker Ramon Mitra accused some of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) members who supported the candidacy of Lakas bet Fidel V. Ramos of "sleeping with the enemy".
Those who "cavorted" with FVR had earlier voted for Mitra to be the LDP's official standard bearer. FVR formed the Lakas, which later became a Lakas-NUCD, when he lost to Mitra in the party convention.
"Sleeping with the enemy" became a byword once again when Police Supt. Maria Cristina Nobleza and suspected Abu Sayyaf member Renierlo Dongon were arrested in a checkpoint in Bohol recently.
They were reportedly trying to provide assistance to the remaining Abu members trapped in the province after being waylaid by government troopers when they sneaked in before the Holy Week.
Nobleza compromised her duties and responsibilities and loyalty to the country because of her love for the younger suspected terrorist.
Truly love conquers all.
Monday, April 24, 2017
Antique embraces spirit of Olympism
"Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game."
--Michael Jordan
By Alex P. Vidal
NEW YORK CITY -- Hosting the 2017 Palarong Pambansa has catapulted Antique into the elite rank of Philippine provinces that have embraced the spirit of Olympism.
From the ranks of wet-behind-the-ear youngsters representing 18 regions nationwide will rise the country's next aspirants for world Olympic Games, the biggest global sporting event which originated in ancient Greece 3,000 years ago.
As we very well know, Palarong Pambansa is the precursor of bigger sports competitions where our world-class athletes are spotted, chosen, and trained to represent the country in the Southeast (SEA) Games, Asian Games, World Cup, Inter-Continental Games, and the World Olympic Games.
The Philippines is one of the only few Southeast Asian countries that have not won an Olympic gold medal since the first modern Olympics took place in 1896 in Athens, where 280 participants from 13 nations, competing in 43 events were featured.
Since 1994, the Summer and Winter Olympic Games have been held separately and have alternated every two years.
From the 8th century B.C. to the 4th century A.D., the Games were held every four years in Olympia, located in the western Peloponnese peninsula, in honor of the god Zeus.
GOLD
With the participation of some of the country's finest and promising athletes in Binirayan Sports Complex in San Jose, Antique, we expect the first future Olympic gold medalist from the Philippines to emerge in the 2017 Palarong Pambansa.
The spirit of Olympism is the key. Big or small sporting competitions in any locality, Olympism promotes the sport for hope, which is a joint initiative between the International Olympic Committee, its Olympic Movement stakeholders and the local governments.
It aims to provide young people and local communities with positive sports development opportunities, offer state-of-the-art training facilities to the National Federations and the athletes of the country, and spread the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect. Sport for Hope Centres may also serve as platforms for social development and innovative cooperation to contribute to a better and more peaceful world through sport.
A Sport for Hope Center may be established in Antique after the staging of the Palarong Pambansa.
SEMINAR
In 1991, then Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Celso Dayrit propagated the spirit of Olympism among sports leaders in Iloilo City in a seminar attended by this writer.
Dayrit emphasized that the spirit of Olympism can emanate even in grassroots competitions like the Palarong Pambansa.
First espoused by the founder of the modern Olympics, Baron Pier de Coubertin, Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind.
Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles.
The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.
--Michael Jordan
By Alex P. Vidal
NEW YORK CITY -- Hosting the 2017 Palarong Pambansa has catapulted Antique into the elite rank of Philippine provinces that have embraced the spirit of Olympism.
From the ranks of wet-behind-the-ear youngsters representing 18 regions nationwide will rise the country's next aspirants for world Olympic Games, the biggest global sporting event which originated in ancient Greece 3,000 years ago.
As we very well know, Palarong Pambansa is the precursor of bigger sports competitions where our world-class athletes are spotted, chosen, and trained to represent the country in the Southeast (SEA) Games, Asian Games, World Cup, Inter-Continental Games, and the World Olympic Games.
The Philippines is one of the only few Southeast Asian countries that have not won an Olympic gold medal since the first modern Olympics took place in 1896 in Athens, where 280 participants from 13 nations, competing in 43 events were featured.
Since 1994, the Summer and Winter Olympic Games have been held separately and have alternated every two years.
From the 8th century B.C. to the 4th century A.D., the Games were held every four years in Olympia, located in the western Peloponnese peninsula, in honor of the god Zeus.
GOLD
With the participation of some of the country's finest and promising athletes in Binirayan Sports Complex in San Jose, Antique, we expect the first future Olympic gold medalist from the Philippines to emerge in the 2017 Palarong Pambansa.
The spirit of Olympism is the key. Big or small sporting competitions in any locality, Olympism promotes the sport for hope, which is a joint initiative between the International Olympic Committee, its Olympic Movement stakeholders and the local governments.
It aims to provide young people and local communities with positive sports development opportunities, offer state-of-the-art training facilities to the National Federations and the athletes of the country, and spread the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect. Sport for Hope Centres may also serve as platforms for social development and innovative cooperation to contribute to a better and more peaceful world through sport.
A Sport for Hope Center may be established in Antique after the staging of the Palarong Pambansa.
SEMINAR
In 1991, then Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Celso Dayrit propagated the spirit of Olympism among sports leaders in Iloilo City in a seminar attended by this writer.
Dayrit emphasized that the spirit of Olympism can emanate even in grassroots competitions like the Palarong Pambansa.
First espoused by the founder of the modern Olympics, Baron Pier de Coubertin, Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind.
Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles.
The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.
Thursday, April 20, 2017
I'll fly with you again, United Airlines
"It's the old adage: You can make a pizza so cheap, nobody will eat it. You can make an airline so cheap, nobody will fly it."
--Gordon Bethune
--Gordon Bethune
By Alex P. Vidal
NEW YORK CITY -- I will not hesitate to fly with the United Airlines, commonly referred to as United, again.
One of the first airlines that have I learned to like in the United States is United, where my kumpare Chito Ilonggo Macatual works.
The other is American Airlines, which awarded to this writer the last seat available on a Christmas Day (December 25, 2012) flight from San Francisco-Honolulu-Guam-Manila despite an eleventh hour notice.
All seats had been occupied because of the peak season. Thank God nobody was offloaded.
Sometime in spring 2008, Chito Ilonggo booked this writer round trip flights from Los Angeles to Chicago via Phoenix on United.
It was a business class, my first-ever, modesty aside.
As a policy, I had to wear a "business" attire to give justice to my special accommodation. Fruits, cakes, expensive wines were served aside from a spacious seat and special treatment.
One of the first airlines that have I learned to like in the United States is United, where my kumpare Chito Ilonggo Macatual works.
The other is American Airlines, which awarded to this writer the last seat available on a Christmas Day (December 25, 2012) flight from San Francisco-Honolulu-Guam-Manila despite an eleventh hour notice.
Sometime in spring 2008, Chito Ilonggo booked this writer round trip flights from Los Angeles to Chicago via Phoenix on United.
It was a business class, my first-ever, modesty aside.
As a policy, I had to wear a "business" attire to give justice to my special accommodation. Fruits, cakes, expensive wines were served aside from a spacious seat and special treatment.
I could not choose my flight the day I arrived in the airport other than wait until a seat was available.
I was on a "wait list" together with a bunch of passengers. They were on upbeat mood queuing for a flight on a first-come-first-serve basis.
After "missing" three regular flights in the morning, I was finally on board shortly after noon time.
I was on a "wait list" together with a bunch of passengers. They were on upbeat mood queuing for a flight on a first-come-first-serve basis.
After "missing" three regular flights in the morning, I was finally on board shortly after noon time.
SEAT
There was no favoritism. Nobody bumped somebody off from his seat assignment. No quarrel with the ground staff. No debate with fellow passengers.
No overloading. No need for uniformed personnel to get inside the plane and violently kick out anyone who refused to give up his seat.
The airline crew was courteous and handled their job professionally.
My pleasant experience with United happened before April 16, 2010, when United resumed merger talks with Continental Airlines after their first discussion in 2008.
On May 2, 2010, the board of directors of both Continental and UAL Corporation's United Airlines reached an agreement to combine operations.
While United would be the surviving airline, the merged airline would adopt Continental's logo and livery. Continental's CEO Jeff Smisek would head the new company. The merger was contingent upon shareholder and regulatory approval.
In July 2010, the United-Continental merger was approved by the European Commission and on August 27, 2010 by the US Justice Department. On September 17, 2010, United's shareholders approved the merger deal with Continental Airlines.
In July 2010, the United-Continental merger was approved by the European Commission and on August 27, 2010 by the US Justice Department. On September 17, 2010, United's shareholders approved the merger deal with Continental Airlines.
SUPPORT
That's why I don't support the idea that because of one incident on April 9, 2017 in which security officers dragged a man off a United Airlines plane in Chicago when he refused to give up his seat, passengers will boycott the world's third-largest airline.
The ugly fracas involving 69-year-old passenger David Dao shouldn't be used as a single barometer to sully United Airline's outstanding reputation in the airline industry.
Now that the matter is being investigated and all darts have been thrown at the embattled airline company, let the chips fall where they may.
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Alex P. Vidal Quotes (Tears)
Invisible tears are the hardest to wipe away.
-- TERRI GUILLEMETS :
Even if tears are visible, wiping them away does not immediately end the heart's agony unless the root cause of the heartache has been totally wiped out from memory.
-- ALEX P. VIDAL
-- TERRI GUILLEMETS :
Even if tears are visible, wiping them away does not immediately end the heart's agony unless the root cause of the heartache has been totally wiped out from memory.
-- ALEX P. VIDAL
Tragedy that refuses to leave our memory
"It's a terrible thing wishing that it can be someone else's tragedy." --JOHN DYER
By Alex P. Vidal
NEW YORK CITY -- The M/S Don Juan tragedy happened 37 years ago, but it was a maritime disaster that Ilonggos in Negros and Iloilo can't forget.
It was on April 22, 1980 when M/S Don Juan, a commercial vessel owned by the Negros Navigation (NN), travelling from Manila to Bacolod City, was rammed hard by M/T Tacloban City, an oil tanker, and sank hours after leaving the Pier 2 in North Harbor, Manila.
Boy Mucovado vividly recalled the incident during the tragedy's anniversary six years ago in a story entitled "The Day The City of Smiles Wept":
"Around 1 pm of April 22, 1980, a jampacked M/S Don Juan of Negros Navigation (NN) carrying at least 1,000 passengers, left Pier 2 at the Manila North Harbor. It was bound for Bacolod City. Within her were vacationers, students coming home after graduation or a break in big universities in Manila, families of wealthy and illustrious Negrenses, who accompanied newly bought cars in its cargo and businessmen with bulk of their goods.
"The Don Juan was famous for its cruising speed, cutting traveling time to 18-19 hours for a Manila-Bacolod trip which was usually 22-24 hours on other vessels at that time. It featured the elegant "Admiral Class" Cabins. A signature of first class travel for NN's fleet. It was the first of its kind to have watertight cabin and compartment doors.
"At 10:30 pm the vessel was traveling beneath a full-moon over the calm Tablas Strait between Tablas and Maestre de Campo Island with most of the passengers asleep. The rest were awake having a great time with the band at the ferry's disco. But all of a sudden it was rammed hard on its portside by oil tanker M/T Tacloban City of the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC). It left a large gaping hole from its lower deck bunks to the Admiral Class Cabin decks. The impact jammed most of the cabin doors sealing the fate of their occupants. Fortunate ones were on the Economy Class upper decks and disco-goers. It didn't take long and Don Juan took in seawater, listed hard to the portside then dipped forward. Screaming, terrified and wailing passengers even without life-jackets jumped to the sea.
LIFEBOATS
"The crew frantically handed out life-jackets and tried to put them into lifeboats. Collapsible lifeboats were released for those already at sea. But time was too short. In 15-20 minutes Don Juan was swallowed by the sea, with it were dozens still trapped in cabins and bunks, crew members who held to their posts and those already in lifeboats but were never released on time.
"Hundreds of survivors thrashed and called for help for in the shark-infested waters. The crew of the tanker Tacloban plucked out as many survivors as they could and those killed instantly by the impact. After two hours, another PNOC tanker, M/T Laoag City, arrived after Don Juan's distress call and took the remaining survivors and more corpses. Smaller ships and fishing vessels within its vicinity also came and helped out. Most of the survivors were brought to the port of Batangas in the morning, April 23, 1980.
"Bacolod City and the rest of Negros Occidental was shocked. It came very untimely when the province was suffering from the fall of worldwide sugar prices that heralded the collapse of the monocrop sugar industry of the province."
SURVIVORS
Joeval Brodit came from a national dancing competition on a famous noontime TV show. he was at the disco during the collision. Jostled and was able to take a life-jacket but was grabbed off from him by a panicking passenger. While at the sea, he huddled together with a dozen more survivors on a capsized collapsible lifeboat, But he was one of those instant heroes who swam back to the sea and grabbed more survivors. One of them was Sharon Tumaliuan of Iloilo City which landed him on the front page of Manila Bulletin. It was so sad that some of those dead he took were young students, others just graduated from high school and college.
Dr. Linda Sanson, an OB-Gyne traveling with her three toddlers and two babysitters after buying stocks for her boutique in Bacolod,they instantly got out of the cabin and grabbed two lifejackets in which they shared together until rescued.
Ethel Ferrer, an elementary school teacher at the University of St. La Salle (USLS), was pregnant and traveling with her eldest son. She got separated from her son while at sea but was miraculously reunited with him after an hour despite the panic and swimming with sharks.
Jocelyn Panisa and her twin brothers Jesus and Reynaldo traveling home from a wedding with their uncle. Boarded the vessel as "chance passengers" and were at the economy class upper deck. Three of them survived clinging on the sides an overloaded lifeboat but their uncle was unlucky to be on a lifeboat that never came off the ship
DEAD
-Mother of lawyer Renecito Novero. She attended her son's (Atty. Novero) graduation from law school at UP and took the trip home;
-Alunan Family, a pride of Bacolod in the field of swimming remained missing and believed to be trapped inside one of Don Juan's cabins;
--Montalvo Family -- Nora Montalvo wife of then mayor Rodrigo "Digoy" Montalvo of Bacolod their daughters Mylene, 17; and Yvette, 7; and mother-in-law, Anicia Kilayko, were never found and believed to have died inside their cabins. It was remembered by the Bacolodnon's that the mayor was at a sorrowful state traveling to Northern Negros, Capiz and as far as Romblon and Oriental Mindoro to look for his missing family members. As described by some "he would open every casket, body bag and blanket and call out their names"
RESCUE
The late Ilonggo lawyer-historian Rex Salvilla recalled that MV Tacloban City rescued 320 passengers and picked out 12 dead. Its sister tanker, MV Laoag City had 506 survivors and 10 dead. Both tankers left the tragic place at one o'clock in the morning and landed at daylight at Batangas City MV Don Julio, a sister ship of MV Don Juan which left Manila, passed the place and joined in the rescue work and brought back to Manila 80 dead and transferring 62 survivors and 74 dead to another sister ship, MV Doña Florentina en route to Iloilo City.
"The horror of the tragedy is in seeing many people die before one's eyes. A 21-year old student saw 'many persons die before my eyes.' But most horrible is to see a loved one die. A man hugging his 8-year old daughter lost his grip on her. Before his eyes, she slipped and disappeared into the dark sea. A teenager witnessed the drowning of her teenage older sister. A man saw his father swallowed by the sea after their raft capsized," Salvilla remembered.
By Alex P. Vidal
NEW YORK CITY -- The M/S Don Juan tragedy happened 37 years ago, but it was a maritime disaster that Ilonggos in Negros and Iloilo can't forget.
It was on April 22, 1980 when M/S Don Juan, a commercial vessel owned by the Negros Navigation (NN), travelling from Manila to Bacolod City, was rammed hard by M/T Tacloban City, an oil tanker, and sank hours after leaving the Pier 2 in North Harbor, Manila.
Boy Mucovado vividly recalled the incident during the tragedy's anniversary six years ago in a story entitled "The Day The City of Smiles Wept":
"Around 1 pm of April 22, 1980, a jampacked M/S Don Juan of Negros Navigation (NN) carrying at least 1,000 passengers, left Pier 2 at the Manila North Harbor. It was bound for Bacolod City. Within her were vacationers, students coming home after graduation or a break in big universities in Manila, families of wealthy and illustrious Negrenses, who accompanied newly bought cars in its cargo and businessmen with bulk of their goods.
"The Don Juan was famous for its cruising speed, cutting traveling time to 18-19 hours for a Manila-Bacolod trip which was usually 22-24 hours on other vessels at that time. It featured the elegant "Admiral Class" Cabins. A signature of first class travel for NN's fleet. It was the first of its kind to have watertight cabin and compartment doors.
"At 10:30 pm the vessel was traveling beneath a full-moon over the calm Tablas Strait between Tablas and Maestre de Campo Island with most of the passengers asleep. The rest were awake having a great time with the band at the ferry's disco. But all of a sudden it was rammed hard on its portside by oil tanker M/T Tacloban City of the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC). It left a large gaping hole from its lower deck bunks to the Admiral Class Cabin decks. The impact jammed most of the cabin doors sealing the fate of their occupants. Fortunate ones were on the Economy Class upper decks and disco-goers. It didn't take long and Don Juan took in seawater, listed hard to the portside then dipped forward. Screaming, terrified and wailing passengers even without life-jackets jumped to the sea.
LIFEBOATS
"The crew frantically handed out life-jackets and tried to put them into lifeboats. Collapsible lifeboats were released for those already at sea. But time was too short. In 15-20 minutes Don Juan was swallowed by the sea, with it were dozens still trapped in cabins and bunks, crew members who held to their posts and those already in lifeboats but were never released on time.
"Hundreds of survivors thrashed and called for help for in the shark-infested waters. The crew of the tanker Tacloban plucked out as many survivors as they could and those killed instantly by the impact. After two hours, another PNOC tanker, M/T Laoag City, arrived after Don Juan's distress call and took the remaining survivors and more corpses. Smaller ships and fishing vessels within its vicinity also came and helped out. Most of the survivors were brought to the port of Batangas in the morning, April 23, 1980.
"Bacolod City and the rest of Negros Occidental was shocked. It came very untimely when the province was suffering from the fall of worldwide sugar prices that heralded the collapse of the monocrop sugar industry of the province."
SURVIVORS
Joeval Brodit came from a national dancing competition on a famous noontime TV show. he was at the disco during the collision. Jostled and was able to take a life-jacket but was grabbed off from him by a panicking passenger. While at the sea, he huddled together with a dozen more survivors on a capsized collapsible lifeboat, But he was one of those instant heroes who swam back to the sea and grabbed more survivors. One of them was Sharon Tumaliuan of Iloilo City which landed him on the front page of Manila Bulletin. It was so sad that some of those dead he took were young students, others just graduated from high school and college.
Dr. Linda Sanson, an OB-Gyne traveling with her three toddlers and two babysitters after buying stocks for her boutique in Bacolod,they instantly got out of the cabin and grabbed two lifejackets in which they shared together until rescued.
Ethel Ferrer, an elementary school teacher at the University of St. La Salle (USLS), was pregnant and traveling with her eldest son. She got separated from her son while at sea but was miraculously reunited with him after an hour despite the panic and swimming with sharks.
Jocelyn Panisa and her twin brothers Jesus and Reynaldo traveling home from a wedding with their uncle. Boarded the vessel as "chance passengers" and were at the economy class upper deck. Three of them survived clinging on the sides an overloaded lifeboat but their uncle was unlucky to be on a lifeboat that never came off the ship
DEAD
-Mother of lawyer Renecito Novero. She attended her son's (Atty. Novero) graduation from law school at UP and took the trip home;
-Alunan Family, a pride of Bacolod in the field of swimming remained missing and believed to be trapped inside one of Don Juan's cabins;
--Montalvo Family -- Nora Montalvo wife of then mayor Rodrigo "Digoy" Montalvo of Bacolod their daughters Mylene, 17; and Yvette, 7; and mother-in-law, Anicia Kilayko, were never found and believed to have died inside their cabins. It was remembered by the Bacolodnon's that the mayor was at a sorrowful state traveling to Northern Negros, Capiz and as far as Romblon and Oriental Mindoro to look for his missing family members. As described by some "he would open every casket, body bag and blanket and call out their names"
RESCUE
The late Ilonggo lawyer-historian Rex Salvilla recalled that MV Tacloban City rescued 320 passengers and picked out 12 dead. Its sister tanker, MV Laoag City had 506 survivors and 10 dead. Both tankers left the tragic place at one o'clock in the morning and landed at daylight at Batangas City MV Don Julio, a sister ship of MV Don Juan which left Manila, passed the place and joined in the rescue work and brought back to Manila 80 dead and transferring 62 survivors and 74 dead to another sister ship, MV Doña Florentina en route to Iloilo City.
"The horror of the tragedy is in seeing many people die before one's eyes. A 21-year old student saw 'many persons die before my eyes.' But most horrible is to see a loved one die. A man hugging his 8-year old daughter lost his grip on her. Before his eyes, she slipped and disappeared into the dark sea. A teenager witnessed the drowning of her teenage older sister. A man saw his father swallowed by the sea after their raft capsized," Salvilla remembered.
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