Two Cadiz City fishermen who survived a harrowing experience at sea as Severe Tropical Storm “Kristine” approached in October were among four recipients of motorized fishing boats from the Negrense Volunteers for Change (NVC) Foundation on Monday, Nov. 23.
NVC turned over fiberglass fishing boats to survivors Joren Parochel, 22, and Edwin Hinojales, 17, and Ruper Laurente, 26, the owner of the boat they borrowed that was destroyed at sea, the foundation’s president Millie Kilayko said on Tuesday.
The fourth recipient was Roberto Sayam, 50, who had just returned to Cadiz to rebuild his life, she added.
Parochel and Hinojales went fishing on Oct. 19, and were reported missing when they failed to return home.
They went out to sea, on a boat borrowed from Laurente, because they needed some catch for their family’s food. Laurente’s boat was new, something he saved for after selling his old one, Kilayko said.
Parochel and Hinojales caught about 10 kilos of large squid and were about to head home when fury from the sea and wind hit, tearing off the boat’s outriggers and turning it upside down. They spent two days and two nights hanging on to the boat until the Masbate fishermen found them.
“The village cheered when they received news that the two survived but Ruper and his wife wept when they found out that their boat was gone forever. They were understanding and knew they would never ask the two survivors to pay for the damage because they said, they are as poor as we are,” Kilayko said.
NVC, which learned of the plight of the Cadiz fishermen from DIGICAST NEGROS, immediately took measures to help them.
Thanks to NVC Foundation’s donor King Solomon Foundation, the four each received a motorized fiberglass fishing boat.
Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante, who joined the turnover, took on what should have been the recipients’ counterpart of building the boat’s “camarote” and attaching its outriggers.
Also present at the turnover was former Cadiz councilor Wilfredo Cervantes who had been helpful to NVC when the foundation turned over about 70 boats to Cadiz fishermen who lost theirs to Typhoon Yolanda 10 years ago.
On Monday NVC also kicked off a year-long Mingo nutrition program for 60 malnourished children in Cadiz City.*