A tragedy occurred on Laguna de Bay last 27 July with the sinking of the MB Aya Express that was battered by strong winds right after it set sail from Binangonan toward Talim Island in the province of Rizal.
A total of 27 passengers reportedly drowned, while 41 survived, bringing the total number of passengers to 68, in a boat with a maximum capacity of 42. The deaths included the elderly and the young, making it the worst boat tragedy in the history of Rizal.
Laguna de Bay is the largest freshwater lake in the Philippines, and it is common for boats to traverse it to get to the different towns surrounding and within it. The largest island in the middle of the lake is Talim Island, which has a population of around 40,000. This is a fishing town with mountain peaks visited by urban trekkers. Notably, Talim Island was once proposed for an airport near Manila that would have been connected by a bridge from Pasig or Taguig. The project did not fly, and the government opted for the San Miguel Corporation-sponsored airport project in Bulakan, Bulacan.
With the promise of development for Talim Island being remote, the mode of getting to and from the island remains to be “traditional.” Motor bancas set sail without filling out the passenger manifest, as required by the DOTr’s Marina.
The MB Aya Express left its port of origin without any knowledge of the storm signal or sailing orders from the local substation of the Philippine Coast Guard or PCG, which was situated far from the port. It was evident that the tailwinds of typhoon “Egay” were still hammering the metro and utmost safety precautions must be taken despite the absence of rainfall. It was also reported that the boat captain did not have a license to speak of.
A survivor recounted that the passengers panicked because of the strong winds that eventually caused one of the wooden outriggers to break. The passengers then all ran to one side, causing the boat to tilt and capsize.
Since the sides of the boat were covered with tarpaulin to shield the passengers from the rain and waves, these trapped the passengers in the boat. Even seasoned swimmers would have drowned. The incident led to the death of children as young as five, and of respected elderly women of Talim Island.
Immediately after the news broke out, Marina suspended the Passenger Ship Safety Certificate of the boat owner. The captain was apprehended and is facing charges. The two PCG officials assigned to the substation were relieved of their duties.
Consequently, Senate and House resolutions were filed to initiate investigative hearings, in aid of legislation, that will be publicized. While these efforts would not bring back the departed, nor erase the trauma of the survivors, this may prevent the same from happening again on Laguna Lake and other waterways around the country.
In the spirit of transparency, our insurance company, Milestone Guaranty and Assurance Corp., is the group personal accident insurer of the boat owner. As we have signified to the victims and their families, we have provided financial support in humanitarian consideration to help alleviate the pain of loss and the trauma experienced.
It is our hope that the families and victims of the sunken MB Aya Express will be able to recover from this tragedy and continue with their lives, although this is easier said than done. Rest assured, our insurance company shall assist them to the best of our ability, and it is our prayer that no such tragedy takes place again in our country’s waterways.
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