A birthday celebration ended in heartbreak this past weekend after two Grade 10 students drowned in the Himogaan River, Barangay Malubon, Sagay City. The victims, aged 15 and 16, were swept away by a sudden surge of water during a joint outing with three other classmates on Friday, January 9.
According to the Sagay City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), the group was gathered on a large rock in the middle of the river when a flash flood, triggered by heavy rains in the upstream mountain areas, caught them off guard. CDRRMO Operations Officer Jorge Cabalag noted that while the weather at the river was fair, the students failed to notice the rising water levels because they were playing loud music.
When the current intensified, the five teenagers attempted to swim to the riverbank. While three managed to reach safety, the two young men were overpowered by the current and carried downstream. The tragedy prompted a massive three-day search and retrieval operation involving the Philippine Coast Guard, the Bureau of Fire Protection, the police, and local “Bantay Suba” volunteers from Barangays Malubon and Paraiso.
The body of the 16-year-old victim was recovered on Saturday, January 10, at the Fabrica wharf. Following continued search efforts, the 15-year-old student was located on Sunday, January 11, in Sitio Dukol-Dukol, Barangay Himogaan Baybay—several kilometers away from where the celebration had begun. Local authorities are using the incident to remind residents of the dangers of “headwater” floods, which can strike unexpectedly even when it is not raining in the immediate vicinity.
