CEBU CITY, Philippines - A list of survivors was read aloud and posted yesterday outside the Sulpicio Lines Inc. office in Pier 4.
Tension rose as families and friends of the missing passengers of MV Princess of the Stars started demanding for a Sulpicio Lines representative to face them.
The list was read by a representative of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Families continued to flock to the Sulpicio office in Pier 4 and passenger terminals in pier 5, fighting off sleep and hunger just to ask about the status of their loved ones.
Sulpicio Lines official Edward Go briefly came out and faced the crowd. He said they could not give more detailed updates as they were dependent on the Coast Guard for information.
“We are not hiding something,” Go told reporters. The list of survivors was obtained from the Coast Guard's office.
But many families refused to be placated, saying they wanted a management representative to give them the updates.
In response, Go said DSWD is part of the task force handling the situation.
Social workers also held briefing and counseling sessions for the affected families.
The police, Coast Guard, Red Cross, Marines and Cebu City Disaster Coordinating Council are part of the taskforce.
The Cebu City government provided some meals, tents, water and portable toilets for the families.
Amid the gloom and misery, there were sighs of relief among the families of passengers who managed to survive the sea tragedy.
“Gikaluy-an gyod ko, gidungog ang akong pag-ampo sa Sto Niño. Salamat intawn sa Ginoo kay buhi akong anak (I was granted mercy, my prayers were heard by the Sto. Niño. I thank God for my son is alive),” said a teary-eyed Rosita Gelig, whose son Gil was one of the survivors found in Quezon province.
Gil, of Barangay (village) Agos, Lapu-Lapu City, is a seven-year apprentice of the MV Princess of the Stars, which was built in 1984 in Japan and acquired by Sulpicio on 2003.
Gelig said she was beside herself with worry about her son.
Anxiety and agony still hang over the air for most of the families of the passengers.
Aileen Solante said her husband Terry Joseph Solante decided to go back here in Cebu City after completing his requirements for travel abroad in Manila.
“Last siya mo text Saturday morning (His last text message was on Saturday morning),” she said.
Edna Tabor, a resident of Tipolo, Mandaue City and mother of passenger Benedict Tabor, said her son left his three-year-old son and pregnant wife in Manila.
“Nanawag sa ako nga sakay na kuno siya og barko, unya pagka Sabado wa na man kabalik og tawag (He called me up to tell me he was on board a vessel but he didn't call back last Saturday),” she said, adding that she continually hopes her son is alive and well.
In a statement, Sulpicio Lines management said they can only give information on the status of their loved ones from government sources.
“Sulpicio Lines stands ready to face the truth confident it has done everything humanly possible to reduce and lessen the grief and pain that we all feel in that unfortunate fortuitous event last Saturday,” their statement read.
During the press conference on Monday afternoon, Espina clarified they didn’t know if the ship experienced engine trouble.
He also said they could not determine the exact time when the ship captain gave the order to abandon ship.
Espina said the ship’s engines “were all in good condition” when the vessel left Manila for Cebu City.
The company official likewise clarified that the vessel didn’t sustain a hole near its bottom.
Espina said the “hole” was actually an airtight compartment used to maneuver the vessel.
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