2 Pinoy survivors of London tower fire recall ordeal

Virgilio "Larry" Castro and girlfriend Elisa Rabaya thought their lives were over following the huge blaze that engulfed a residential building in London.
But despite his ordeal, Virgilio's thoughts still went with his family in the Philippines, especially to his sick brother, according to a report by GMA News' Sandra Aguinaldo on "24 Oras" on Friday.
"Papano na kaya ang mga tinutulungan ko sa Pilipinas kung nawala ako? Lalo na 'yung kapatid kong maysakit," Virgilio said.
The couple recalled how they escaped the fire at Grenfell Tower last Wednesday, which left 17 people dead with the death toll expected to rise.
"Si Larry gustong bumaba... pumasok ulit sa loob... at may kukuhanin siya. Eh hinatak ko na lang siya dahil nasu-suffocate na 'ko sa init saka sa usok," Elisa said. "Kung hindi kami nakatakbo, eh siguro isa na kami sa nakapaskil diyan sa mga namatay."
"Maraming tumatakbo na kaya nagmamadali akong tumakbo. Eh tapos pagbaba ko, pumuputok na sa taas," Virgilio, who was at the 17th floor of the 24-storey building when the fire happened, said.
They were thankful that they were able to survive the tragedy.
"'Yung mga materyal na bagay, 'di na importante 'yun. Mas importante ang buhay mo dahil minsan lang 'yan  sa atin," Elisa said.
Initial report said at least 65 people were still missing or feared dead following the fire incident.
In relation to this, families posted photos of their missing relatives. One of them is Ligaya Moore who, according to Senator Joel Villanueva, is a member of Jesus is Lord Movement, the religious group founded by his father.
"'Yung mga ilang members ng church ang naka-usap namin na she's actually there, lives there by herself," Villanueva said. 
Moreover, aid continues to flow in London for the fire victims.
Investigation is ongoing as regards to the incident. —Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA News

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

POPCOM, gagamit ng ‘digital platforms’ para pagtibayin ang mga ugnayang pampamilya

Mas pinalalawig ng Komisyon sa Populasyon at Pagpapaunlad (POPCOM) ang adhikain nitong pagpapalaganap at pagpapabuti ng pakikipag-ugnayan ng mga nakakatandang Pilipino sa kanilang mga anak na nagdadalaga at nagbibinata. Nitong Setyembre 21, ang POPCOM ay nagsagawa ng isang “parent-teen talk webinar” gamit ang Zoom, kung saan ang isang “interactive program” ang nagbigay ng naaayon na kaalaman at kasanayan sa mga magulang, habang tumulong ito sa mga anak na teenager na maabot ang kanilang buong potensyal. Hinikayat din nito ang mga nanay at tatay na sumali sa malayang usapan, lalo na sa mga usapin ukol sa sex at sekswalidad, na nakikitang makakatulong upang bumaba ang mga bilang ng mga pagbubuntis sa hanay ng mga kabataan. Maaaring mapanood ang webinar sa https://youtu.be/lZ9jrJCjYas. Ayon kay Ikalawang Kalihim (Undersecretary) Juan Antonio A. Perez III, MD, MPH, “ang webinar ay naging isang tagapag-simula at ‘padaluyan’ ng pag-uu
Read more

UP Diliman Professors Share Scientists’ Procurement Struggles at Senate Hearing

By Harvey Sapigao Senate hearing of the revised procurement law (Photo credit: Senate of the Philippines) College of Science (CS) Dean Giovanni Tapang held up a little white device as he finished his presentation. “This is a ₱150,000 component,” he described. “Isa lang gumagawa nito sa buong mundo, pero ang hirap pilitin sila na magregister sa PhilGEPS,” he continued, referring to the requirement that foreign companies must first register to the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) before they can sell products to local scientists. Marine Science Institute (MSI) Deputy Director Dr. Irene Rodriguez explained that the small device is a resin that filters metals in water. “May budget tayo,” she said, “pero ang problema ko ay ‘yung resin na ito.” This and other bottlenecks brought about by the procurement law, or the Government Procurement Reform Act (RA 9184), slow down research and development in the country. UPD leaders were invited to the Senate he
Read more

Gaza war rages into fourth month as Blinken tours Middle East Adel Zaanoun with Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem, --- Agence France-Presse

The Israel-Hamas war raging in Gaza entered its fourth month on Sunday as the army again pounded the besieged Palestinian territory and US top diplomat Antony Blinken was back in the region seeking to avoid a wider escalation. Israeli airstrikes overnight and early Sunday killed at least 64 people in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory, said its health ministry. It said two journalists were killed when their car was struck. The ministry, medics, and witnesses identified them as Mustafa Thuria, a video stringer for Agence France-Presse, and Hamza Wael Dahdouh, the son of Al Jazeera's bureau chief in Gaza who earlier lost his wife and two other children in an Israeli strike. Israeli bombardment also claimed other civilian lives in the southern city of Khan Yunis and in the Rafah area near the Egyptian border, where many of the territory's displaced people have sought refuge, AFP correspondents reported. Relatives were mourning the dead at Khan Yunis' European Hospital, am
Read more