A Joyous Celebration Turned to an Unfortunate Disaster

Greetings, Hivers! it's been a long while since my last post due to personal reasons but with a heavy heart, I needed to share this today.

Last Monday when we were having our monthly convocation in our barangay hall, All the employees attended including us voluntary workers and there it was announced that we will be having and outing on Saturday, that was today and we are all required to attend or they will not give us our allowance. I bet they were just bluffing but there we went early today. Some even came even the night before to help prepare the food to bring to the beach. I actually went but went home when preparations were done.

It was agreed that we leave at 6 am and because I am used to the Filipino time, I went there past 6, I was late and I did not even have breakfast. Most of the employees were gone already so we went on. CVOs, Barangay health workers, lupon, Purok Leaders, the Barangay councils and others were all present.

When we arrived, the fun already started, and after we set the sound system, everyone started karaoke which everyone loves and fun intensified. We took our time to dip in the sea water before being called to do something again. We had so much fun in under the sun and thanks to a special plastic that held my phone and refrain from being wet while on the water.

But it's not only me that is in demand in the occasion but my phone too. Most of my coworkers discovered that my phone produces clearer photos so they borrow my phone to take pictures as if it were theirs. Lol! Ang guess what, I had to sent it to them later so they could post on their socmed.

Soon the program started and we requested the one of the barangay councilors for his opening prayer which he usually does and the games began. Everyone participated, willing to take home the prizes prepared, some showed their hidden and special talents and some cracked jokes and fun to make everyone laugh so hard. Some challenges can get prizes too!

This guy won almost $10 on a crawling challenge

There was a raffle too, and I won a rice cooker! My happiness soared high at that moment and I was not expecting to win something.

Lunch came and all the people in the group went to the table and there seem so many of us but thank be to God that the food was more than enough for everyone.

The original plan was to stay in the beach for the whole day; we arrived on a low tide and it would be a good idea to stay and wait for the high tide to come for more enjoyable sea but the barangay captain was thinking of going straight overnight and I was thinking that I would go home at 5 to attend to my son's 5th birthday celebration.

About 2pm,I became the announcer since I don't drink alcohol. the games and raffle prizes continued and then I took a break to relieve myself in the rest room. Then some fishermen shouted they saw a man on his belly in the water who possibly drowned and everyone was alarmed! The water was not even a feet high yet someone died.

We have rescuers with us but we did not pan on rescuing today since we went there to take a break and have some fun. Some of our team helped the man to lay on his back and little did we know it was one of the barangay councilors; he was past 80years old. Everyone was in shock; some cried and the man's grand daughter melted.

The man was blue, his stomach bloated and when the rescuers gave him a CPR, he did not respond. They carried him to the ambulance and rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

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The incident left everyone in shock and we lost our will of having fun. Some started to pack up and the others did so too. We also packed the sound system and readied home.

Today was supposed to be a fun day but accidents do happen and when it does,no one can stop it.

On the CCTV footage, he was seen walking alone to the water and then beyond what the camera can see. it turned out that it has been a while since he separated himself from us and I guess it took a while for us to rescue him despite the water was only only inches below the knee high.

Some say they suspected he had a heart/high blood attack, fell in the water and died but no one knows for sure. Everyone in our community was saddened for the loss of our dear tatay who had gone back to the hands of the creator so soon.