Two male senior high school students tragically drowned at Ungga Falls in Baras, Rizal after venturing into the deep portion of the waters.
Unwinding Trip Turns Tragic
According to a report by EJ Gomez on Unang Balita, the students had visited the falls on Monday to unwind after receiving medical certificates for their work immersion requirements.
One of the students immediately jumped into the water but got into difficulty in a deep section. His classmate attempted to rescue him but both ultimately drowned.
“Parehas na po silang napunta sa medyo malalim. Sa kasamaang palad, itong apat na magkakaklase, ay hindi naman pala ganoon na marunong lumangoy,” said Police Major Robert Papa, Baras Municipal Police Station chief.
(Both of them ended up in the deep part. Unfortunately, all four classmates did not know how to swim well.)
Difficult Retrieval Effort
Rescuers faced strong currents, delaying the recovery of the students’ bodies. The victims, aged 17 and 18, were retrieved after hours of effort and were declared dead on arrival at the hospital.
Families Mourn the Loss
The grieving families of the victims are devastated by the untimely deaths, as the students were set to graduate in three months.
Pedro Pacion, the father of John Mike Pacion, who died while attempting to save his classmate, expressed bittersweet pride in his son’s selfless act.
“Sobrang sakit, ayun nga wala na siya. Pero di siya nagdalawang isip na iligtas yung isa… kahit ikakapahamak niya. Proud na rin, pero siyempre malungkot. Mas maganda sana kung nailigtas niya sarili niya at yung kasama niya,” he said.
(It pains me that he is no longer with us. But he didn’t hesitate to save someone even though it endangered him. I’m proud of him, but of course, it’s heartbreaking. It would have been better if he could have saved both himself and his classmate.)
This heartbreaking incident highlights the importance of water safety awareness and supervision in recreational areas.