BACOLOD CITY – A family outing with friends turned tragic when four persons, including two minors died after they drowned at Kabilang-Bilangan reef in Barangay Sicaba, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental on Sunday, Aug. 28.

Two of the fatalities were identified as Marlyn Aguirre, 33, and Remymar Ocon, 31. The names of the minors aged 13 and 15 were withheld.
Police Lt. Col. Gil John Despi, city police chief, said the victims were on board a pumpboat when Aguirre’s 15-year-old son fell into the sea due to huge waves.
Aguirre immediately jumped into the sea to rescue her son, but they were both swept by the strong water current, Despi said.
This prompted Ocon and the 13-year-old boy to rescue Aguirre and her son, only to end up drowning too because of big waves, Despi said.
The incident was initially reported by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-Negros Occidental as a capsizing incident, until it was later confirmed to be a drowning incident as first reported by the police.
According to Chief Petty Officer Joel Taganile, head of PCG-Cadiz Substation, the pump boat was not overloaded, but the water current was shifting from high tide to low tide, which probably caused huge waves.
Taganile said that transporting persons using a small pumpboat is prohibited precisely because of huge waves.
There are beachgoers who still try to get into or cross the sea using small boats despite the security measures being implemented by the PCG.
Taganile said they have been coordinating with the barangay officials to help remind the public to avoid using small boats as a mode of transportation.