Personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) have assisted a 29-year old woman who gave birth in a Roll-on, Roll-off (RoRo) vessel at the Pasaco port in Camarines Sur on Tuesday, April 27.
While conducting a pre-departure inspection in M/V Virgen de Peñafrancia bound for San Pascual, Masbate, the PCG Station Camarines Sur said it received a report of a pregnant woman who was possible to give birth in the RoRo vessel. The woman was identified as 29-year old Jemalyn Bello.
Led by Seaman Second Class Vincent Adrian Junior Balamban, who is a registered midwife, he found Bello in the comfort room of the passenger vessel and helped her to give birth to a baby boy.
“Nung pagbaba po namin ng barko nagsabi po yung kapitan na meron pong nanganganak na po sa may port kaya pinuntahan po namin ng mga kasamahan ko, bali pinuntahan ko po siya and crowning na po medyo lalabas na po yung ulo ng bata (When we got off the vessel, the captain said that someone was giving birth at the port, so my colleagues and I went there and I saw that she was already crowning meaning the baby's head will come out in a little bit),” Balamban told the Manila Bulletin.
Balamban said guided by his experience and training as a registered midwife before entering the Coast Guard, he was able to help Bello in the urgent situation.
“Galing naman po kami lahat sa basic training and mindset din po namin ang tumulong. Pinagbubutihin na lang po namin ang trabaho namin (We were all trained with basic training and we also have the mindset to always help. We are just doing and improving our work),” Balaman said.
According to Bello, she did not expect to give birth while traveling home to San Pascual, Masbate because she was only seven months pregnant. She named her son baby Franco.
Bello and her son were immediately taken to the Bicol Medical Center for further medical assistance, with the help of the Pasacao Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO).