A baby girl was born in a tricycle that was hurriedly parked in the parking space of Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) when her mother went into labor Monday morning.
Michelle Bolongaita of Barangay Hadumanan was onboard a tricycle on the way to the Lying-In and Birthing Home Center at the Bacolod City Health Office (CHO) when she went into a labor.
The tricycle driver, knowing that the baby was about to come out, went to the BCGC and looked for an empty parking area and asked for help.
Milo Montelibano, the watcher assigned at the BCGC side entrance was surprised to see a tricycle parked in the assigned parking slot of the mayor and called for help.
They called Dondon Parandas, BCGC safety officer and former City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head, who helped the mother give birth in the tricycle.
Parandas, who had helped deliver three other babies when he was assigned at the CDRRMO, said when he arrived the mother was seated on the floor of the tricycle and the baby was coming out so he assisted her.
The mother safely delivered the baby and was brought to the CHO lying-in center in an ambulance, he said.
The mother named the baby, Albea Bless, since she was born in the parking space of the mayor.
The baby is her fifth child.
The mayor, who was happy that the baby was named after him, said he would be glad to be her godfather.,
He posted a picture of Michelle Bolongaita and baby Albea Bless on his Facebook page saying the mother and child are in stable and healthy condition and are being monitored at the CHO lying-in center.
“Daw ma maninoy guid kita sini kay Baby Albea (it looks like I will be a godfather to Baby Albea)”, he added.*