Search continues for 18 missing in Southern Luzon

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines—One of 10 fishermen missing in Catanduanes was found ashore on Samar Island Friday but search-and-rescue teams were still looking for 18 more persons in Southern Luzon who went missing amid foul weather spawned by Tropical Storm Falcon (Meari).

Disaster authorities said the missing included nine  fishermen in Catanduanes, seven fishermen in Camarines Norte, a woman in Albay, and a three-year-old girl believed to have drowned in Laguna.

Bernardo Alejandro, regional director of the  Office of Civil Defense in Bicol, said Catanduanes fisherman Prospero Tabios was found alive Friday on the shore of Mapanas town in Northern Samar.

Alejandro said search-and-rescue teams continued to scour the waters off the towns of Virac, Bato and San Miguel in Catanduanes for the nine other fishermen who, along with Tabios, ventured to sea on Wednesday despite bad weather.

The nine were Antonio Avila Bailon, 40; Nestor Mandasoc, 50; Vicente Tapit, 40; Pedro Balingit, 37; Jason Balingit, 16; Paquito Tabuzo;  Rolando Tabor; Denver Sta. Ines; and Jonsy Rodriguez.

In Camarines Norte, four fishermen from Jose Panganiban town were reported missing on top of the three from Vinzons town earlier reported lost at sea.

Jose Panganiban Mayor Ricarte Padilla, citing Coast Guard records, identified them as Roberto Evangelista, 55; Nilo Tesorero, 55; Mario Tesorero, 20; and Michael Tesorero, 14.

The four, all from Bagong Bayan village, went missing after sailing out to sea on Thursday, said Padilla.

Local authorities said the search continued for village councilman Joselito delos Santos  and his companions—brothers Joey Mendoza and Jenan Mendoza—all of Barangay Pinagtigasan in Calagua Island of Vinzons town.

In Albay, officials said the search also continued for Rosa Belga,54, of Barangay Basag, Ligao City in Albay.

Vicky Torralba, public information officer of the Calabarzon Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said searchers still had  to find Angelica S. Recome, 3, of Golden City Subdivision, Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Alejandro said Albay suffered the biggest damage in Bicol, reporting P46.7 million in losses to agriculture and infrastructure while Camarines Sur reported  P2.2 million in damage to agriculture.