The House of Representatives on Wednesday, Sept. 28, adopted a resolution paying tribute to the five rescuers in Bulacan, who died in the line of duty during the onslaught of Typhoon “Karding”.
House Resolution (HR) No. 421 honored the bravery of Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) rescue personnel Narciso Calayag Jr., Jerson Resurreccion, Marby Bartolome, George Agustin, and Troy Justin Agustin.
The five rescue workers died while on a mission to save people from the wrath of the super typhoon in Barangay Kamias in San Miguel, Bulacan. They were swept by a flash flood and their bodies were later retrieved in the town.
Speaker Martin Romualdez condoled with the families and loved ones of the rescuers. He hailed them as heroes for giving up their lives in service.
“Lubos po tayong nakikiramay sa pamilya ng limang PDRRMO Rescue Personnel na pumanaw kahapon habang nasa gitna ng rescue operations sa (We deeply condole with the families of the PDRRMO rescue personnel who passed in a middle of rescue operations in) San Miguel, Bulacan,” Romualdez said.
“Salamat sa inyong kabayanihan (Thank you for your heroism)...Today, we honor their lives and we will keep them in our prayers,” he added.
READ: 5 rescuers die in San Miguel, Bulacan flash flood
The resolution was introduced by Romualdez, House Majority Leader and Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose "Mannix" M. Dalipe, House Minority Leader and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan, senior Deputy Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos, and Tingog party-list Reps. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez and Jude A. Acidre
“While in the conduct of their rescue mission, the rescuers were wading through the flood when a wall collapsed on them and were dragged away by the raging flood,” the resolution read.
“Because of the strong current of the flash flood that swept all five rescuers, none of them survived,” it added.
HR 421 was consolidated with 13 other resolutions, namely HR Nos. 414 of Bulacan Rep. Salvador Pleyto, 416 of Cavite Rep. Ramon Jolo Revilla III, 427 of Benguet Rep. Eric Yap, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, and ACT-CIS party-list Reps. Edvic Yap, Jeffrey Soriano, and Jocelyn Tulfo, and Quezon City Rep. Ralph Wendel Tulfo, 428 of Citizens Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC) party-list Rep. Eduardo “Bro. Eddie” Villanueva, and 429 of Bulacan Rep. Ambrosio Cruz.
Included were HR 432 of Cagayan de Oro Rep. Lordan Suan and Misamis Oriental Reps. Christian Unabia and Yevgeny Vincente Emano; 435 of Pinuno Party-list Rep. Ivan Howard Guintu; 437 of Quezon City Rep. Juan Carlos "Arjo" Atayde, 438 of Bulacan Rep. Lorna Silverio, 442 of Parañaque City Rep. Gus Tambunting, 443 of Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Ralph Recto, 447 of Bulacan Reps. Danny Domingo and Augustina Dominique Pancho; and 450 of Bulacan Reps. Rida Robes and Linabelle Ruth Villarica, Nueva Ecija Rep. Rosanna Ria Vergara, Domingo, Pancho, Silverio, Cruz, and Pleyto.
In the resolution, the lawmakers said the five rescuers are “worthy of commendation and emulation by all Filipinos” as they displayed “heroism, patriotism, bravery and dedication to public service.”
A copy of the resolution will be furnished to the families left behind by the five PDRRMO rescue workers.