LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — The Pangasinan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) has achieved its zero casualty target for Lingayen beachgoers during the Holy Week.
Noel Cabobos, operations unit search and rescue supervisor of PDRRMO- Pangasinan, said there were 12 near-drowning incidents and 17 reports of missing children, who lost their way in the crowd but were eventually returned to their parents.
Cabobos said the near-drowning incidents were caused by rip currents, nonetheless, all the victims were safe and were not injured.
A total of 14,000 people spent their holidays at the Lingayen beach from March 29 to April 1.
During the Holy Week break, the PDRRMO deployed 13 lifeguards; 10 police officers from Pangasinan Police Provincial Office; five lifeguards from Water Search and Rescue teams of Bugallon and Calasiao; two personnel from Philippine Coast Guard; and five from the newly- created Task Force Capitol.
However, several drowning incidents were recorded in other areas in the province such as Dagupan City, Laoac, Sual and Mangatarem.
A couple drowned while swimming at Bonuan Tondaligan in Dagupan City, said the Dagupan City Police Station.
Victims were identified as Deniel Cartagena, 32, security guard and a resident of Doña Carmen Quezon City; and Twity Candy Mateo, 24, of Bagong Silang, Caloocan City. Both were rescued but only Mateo survived.
A 17-year-old identified as Danilo Mislang drowned in a river in Mangatarem on March 30.
Cabobos said Mislang had a drink with his friends before he dived into the river. "We conducted search and retrieval operations and recovered Mislang’s body from the bottom of the river after two hours. He probably drowned because of underwater current," Cabobos said.
Laoac Police Station said a four-year old from Aurora Hill, Baguio City drowned in a swimming pool of a resort in barangay Turko, Laoac on March 31.
On the same date, a 10-year-old girl from barangay Caoyan, Sual drowned in Fila Falls in barangay Camagsingalan in the same town, according to Sual Police Station.
Meanwhile, seven vehicular accidents were recorded in Sual, Umingan, Alcala, Pozorrubio, Mangatarem and Urdaneta City during the Lenten break. (PNA)
