The Latest Sulpicio Tragedy: A Sinking Feeling

Written on Tuesday, June 24th, 2008 at 1:39 pm | by Ding G. Gagelonia

It is midday, the weather has cleared after a typhoon’s passing, and the work week should be productive.

But walking among the living is a difficult thought to grasp right now if you are standing on the beaches of San Fernando, Romblon staring at what remains of Sulpicio Lines’ 23,000-ton ferry Princess of the Stars.

The scene cannot but bring on a bout of depression.

Pardon the unintended pun: a truly sinking feeling. The feeling that someone somewhere should hang for this. Dejavu is not even appropriate. This is unforgivable.

Here in Manila far from the murky waters off San Fernando, Mindoro we cannot sense the deathly quiet nor smell the stench of bloated bodies. But we are told that with at least 22 confirmed dead and 59 confirmed survivors, a staggering number of 780-plus souls remain missing and,by now, feared dead.

Yes the search and rescue choppers are still hovering atop the overturned hull of the ship with the top part of the bow jutting out of the water while coast guard ships and puny fishermen’s bancas circling the site looking for any sign of life.

The relatives of the missing are already wailing, grieving nervously at Manila’s Pier 12 waiting, hoping to hear something other than reports of more bodies being plucked out of the water or washing on the shore of San Fernando town.

But instead of hopeful news, the mayor of San Fernando was appealing on national radio late yesterday afternoon for body bags and lime so they could tend to the dead.

To underline her own despair and anger, the lady mayor described how they’ve been been forced to sprinkle white cement on the recovered cadavers just to stem the decomposition while waiting for help. She also complained: not a single call had come, she said, from Sulpicio Lines, to coordinate and help.

And while representatives of the company are reportedly going to Romblon via Aklan this morning, unless they can part the waters off Romblon and raise the dead, there is little else they can do.

The press reports now say how the shiptain’s order to abandon ship came only when Princess of the Stars was already tilting very badly so much so that the passengers were already in panic.

In fact even while the vessel was supposedly only three years and had a full complement of life boats and life vests, only four of the listed survivors had vests on.

This time unlike the other Sulpicio tragedies: the sinkings od MV Dona Paz and MV Dona Marilyn, Princess of the Stars was not overloaded.

So the question now emerging is just why the ferry was allowed to leave port even while its destination was under severe storm alerts.

Of course the now customary finger-pointing has begun in earnest with even the Speaker of the House of Representatives asking for Sulpicio Lines’ license to be revoked. This while other high and mighty officials of this country are attending to ‘affairs of state and strengthening the bonds of friendship between Manila and Washington. D.C. By the way at least 59 congressmen are on that junket.

I don’t only have a sinking feeling. I want to puke.

I would be remiss if do not integrate this input not as a comment to the post but a proper addendum and erratum from Ms. Dana who writes to reminds us that a total of four and not two Sulpicio vessels have met with tragedy, the Don Juan in 1980 and the Princess of the Orient in 1998.

We are in your debt, Dana.

Tags: , ,
Add to del.icio.us | Digg this! | Yahoo MyWeb | Google Bookmark It! | Stumble It!
About The Author: Ding G. Gagelonia is a journalist of some 30 years, having worked in both radio and TV news and public affairs since his teens. Ding Gagelonia now writes independently and does corporate communications consulting. He has two kids, Felice and Luis. His journalist blog is at midfield.wordpress.com

Filed Under Politics

Related Entries:

Comments

25 Responses to “The Latest Sulpicio Tragedy: A Sinking Feeling”

  1. dana on June 24th, 2008 3:38 pm

    To add to the Dona Paz in 1987, Dona Marilyn in 1988, Princess of the Orient in 1998, and Princess of the Stars in 2008, another Sulpicio-owned ship that sunk was the M/V Don Juan in 1980. 400 died in that tragedy.

  2. Pochero on June 24th, 2008 3:46 pm

    Our illustrious president does not seem to be too worried. She can’t be bothered from giving out golden hearts in the US of A. We’ll all get another sinking feeling when she returns. Sana Madame President huwag ka na lang bumalik.

  3. Jon Limjap on June 25th, 2008 12:47 pm

    Sulpicio lines has had too many tragedies to be allowed to remain operational. That the captains of the Superferry that was out at sea at the same time and another ship (Negros Nav) was able to foresee the need to find shelter in other ports proves the incompetence of Sulpicio’s quality of service.

  4. the jester-in-exile on June 25th, 2008 5:51 pm

    criminal negligence?

  5. Ging Red on June 25th, 2008 6:17 pm

    Sulpicio Lines owners are SATAN WORSHIPPERS. DONA PAZ, THE PRINCESS OF THE STARS and other SULPICIO LINES FERRY TRAGEDIES are not ordinary maritime accidents.

    Sulpicio owners make typhoon as their cover to sink their vessel as a way to sacrifice INNOCENT LIVES to their evil god.

    This is something for everyone to wonder: Why is it that after three Sulpicio ferries that sank, the company is still afloat all these years? Remember, Sulpicio is not one of those well-managed companies yet, it continues to survive all its ferry-sinking fiascos?

  6. PSimeon on June 25th, 2008 7:00 pm

    How could the owners and managers of Sulpicio Lines get to sleep at night given the deadly sea mishaps their ships were involved in, costing thousands of lives. Do they have feelings of guilt, or none at all?

    Makes one wonder.

  7. AdB on June 25th, 2008 9:31 pm

    Seamanship amiss somewhere coupled with absolute lack of maintenance culture.

  8. Rom on June 26th, 2008 2:01 am

    Ging Red: godDAMN, ging red! that’s some nasty weed you’re smoking!

  9. paul on June 27th, 2008 10:43 am

    Can we still call these five Sulpicio-owned ships that have sunk a coincidence? What do you think?

  10. Ding Gagelonia on June 27th, 2008 11:04 am

    I would add the term chronic to the criminal negligence perspective. Chronic on Sulpicio’s side and also on the Coast Guard and the regulatory Maritime Industry Authority.

  11. MACABALE on June 27th, 2008 12:53 pm

    CGE PANAKAY PAMO SA BARKO NGA SULPICIO KAY NINDOT . HEEHEHEHEHEHE, NINDOT MALONUD MGA YAWA MAN ANG TAG IYA ANA OI

  12. FELIX BORRES JR, III on June 27th, 2008 7:44 pm

    We have volunteered to rescue the vessel mv princess of stars. This is an accident which is same with aircraft where loss of life happens. In aircarft, there is what we call magic box instrument which will monitor all the movement of everything inside the plane so to pre-empt danger. All ships in the Philippines dont have this instrument. The gov’t must impose this.

    The GEN. PRODUCT DEV’T AND JUN DE’ NUL have air, land and sea equipments. We are experienced partners in lifting all kinds of vessel. We have conducted aerial survey thru our chopper since we want to help but the gov’t and all other agency did not give clearance. Sulpicio also wanted to rescue dead people but there is no advise from the insurance company until now. That is what i know for the disaster.

    We have a vessel pusher hydraulic crane w/ 450,000 tons capacity which can raise or lift mv princess of stars but there is no signal from the insurance. Sulpicio would like to work its all systems for this but there is no reaction or clearance from the gov’t.

    pls. email us for your concern @ alpuerto2001@yahoo.com

  13. pamangkin ng isa sa mga pasahero on June 28th, 2008 12:13 pm

    do something…

  14. pamangkin ng isa sa mga pasahero on June 28th, 2008 12:18 pm

    MASAKIT NA NGA NANGYARI.. MASPINAPASAKIT PA SULPICIO LINES..

  15. daniel pansacala on June 28th, 2008 3:59 pm

    kinsa ang may sala? all of them?including passengers or the typhoon?

  16. mystery man on June 28th, 2008 4:07 pm

    alin kaya sa mga barko ang susunod? princess of the universe? princess of the paradise?princess of the south? princess of the caribbean? siguro ang palawan princess kasi napaka luma na……..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  17. mystery man on June 28th, 2008 4:13 pm

    kinsa ba gayud ang sad-an sa tanan? ang coast guard nga nagpatanga tanga? o ang pag-asa nga naghatag og bagyong impormasyon? o ang mga pasahero nga mga apurado? o ang kapitan nga nagsunud sunud lamang sa mando sa kadagkuan sa sulpicio line…o ang pamilyang go nga maoy tag-iya sa sulpicio?o ang bagyo nga hastang kusuga?kinsa ang maysala? kinsa? palihug tabange og tambagi ako kini ang akung suliran………

  18. Ding G. Gagelonia on June 28th, 2008 5:11 pm

    At the end of the day government must take action on behalf of all the victims.The buck stops with the State. The up, or downside, would be how thw judicial system, slow and flawed as it is perceived, is the institution that is expected to render justice.

  19. arnel on June 28th, 2008 10:53 pm

    we hope that all the people onboard until now still inside the ship will be taken as soon as possible so that it will not harmful to the sea of romblon,they should be hurry to take some dead bodies inside the ship.and i hope sulpicio company will provide all the needs of the victims especially those families affected on that tragedy.

  20. retsy on June 28th, 2008 11:11 pm

    Dapat wag na talaga bigyan ng prangkisa ang sulpicio lines kasi marami na silang winasak na mga buhay. At dapat sana managot ang dapat managot sa trahedyang ito. Ang pangalang sulpicio lines ay dapat palitan ng “Pirwisyo lines”, kasi perwisyo at dilubyo lang ang hatid ng mga ito!!!!!!!!
    Ang magaling naman nating Presidente, napaka walang puso, dapat andito siya kasi iba pag may pinuno kasi madali siya makapag command kung panu patakbuhin ang rescue operation, eh ang kahiya-hiya dito ay iniwan nya ang bansa sa gitna ng dilubyo!!!! Siguro pagbalik nya sa Pinas ay sasambitin na naman nya ang kanyang natatanging mga kataga ang” I AM SORRY”!!!!!!!!!
    RETSY

  21. kanoy on June 29th, 2008 2:28 pm

    philippines paka palusot lang permi bigay lang money ok na bahala na ang resulta.

  22. concern citizen on July 1st, 2008 11:01 pm

    I’ts too pity to see people floating on the water and turns their color in a plae one. Hope this won’t happen again..

  23. concern citizen on July 1st, 2008 11:01 pm

    I’ts too pity to see people floating on the water and turns their color in a pale one. Hope this won’t happen again.It’s not easy to lose our loved ones and it really hurts…

  24. concern citizen on July 1st, 2008 11:02 pm

    I’ts too pity to see people floating on the water and turns their color into a pale one. Hope this won’t happen again.It’s not easy to lose our loved ones and it really hurts…

  25. jary on July 8th, 2008 10:18 am

    Well not only the officials of Sulpicio lines to be blamed in the tragedy of M/V Princess Stars but also the Coast Guard because we all know that the ship will not aboard without the permission or the approval of them. Im just cofused, why is it that they still pursue there journey going here in Cebu wherein fact there was a typhoon at that time? What do you think of themselves? The powerful ones wherein anytime they could stop the big waves in the sea? How terrible this thing could be!!!!! Wake up and try to put your shoes in the side of the pitied and innocent victims…….!!!

Leave a Reply