Child victim wanted to finish school; uncle needs operation

IT was nine-year-old Jecan Geraldiso’s dream to finish school.

“Kung muadto na sila sa among balay kuyog sa akong ubang pag-umangkon, makakita gyud na siya ug mga medal unya mangutana siya, “Nong, asa ka gikan ani? (When he comes home with his siblings and cousins, he always noticed my medals and would ask me where I got the medals),” said Gabby Lariosa, Jecan’s uncle and a staffer of Cebu Daily News.

But tragedy struck when Jecan died after being buried under a pile of sand during a cave-in that also severely injured his uncle.

The two were quarrying at the time when it occurred last Friday.

Lariosa said he would always encourage his nephew to study hard in order to excel.

“Pag-abot sa akong mga pag-umangkon, wala jud ko’y question ana nila kay mutabang jud na sila sa ilang balay, mangiskwela pud ug tarong (I really don’t have any problems with the children because they would help in house chores and they would also study hard),” he said.

Jecan was supposed to be in fifth grade when schools open next month.

Lariosa recalled that he last saw Jecan on the second week of April and he gave him some bread for snacks.

Jecan is the fourth child of Lariosa’s eldest sister Josephine Geraldiso.

Lariosa said he’s very close to his nephews and nieces and he would also give them clothes as a present.

“Maghoot pa jud akong dughan sa nahitabo (My heart still aches over what happened),” he told Cebu Daily News.

Jecan and his uncle Ponciano Alikaway were hauling sand from a quarry site in barangay Tinubda, San Fernando town.

Rescuers had to dig through mounds of sand to recover Jecan with their bare hands after rescuing his uncle Ponancio Alikaway.

Jecan wanted to buy a T-shirt he saw in a department store in Minglanilla town from his payment.

The T-shirt bought by his parents will be buried with his coffin sometime soon.

The victims were rushed to South General Hospital in Naga City but the boy failed to make it.

Ponancio was later transferred to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center for medical treatment.

Ponancio suffered a broken bone in his back and had difficulty in breathing due to  suffering from chest pains when CDN visited him at the hospital.

Lariosa, the brother of Ponciano’s wife, said Ponancio needs to undergo an operation. He said the operation would cost up to P100,000.

However, they are still waiting for his brother-in-law’s parents to decide whether to pursue the operation.

“Wala na man siya gi-oxygen unya iyang dugo kay mingsaka na man (He’s not given oxygen and his blood pressure would shoot up),” Lariosa said.  A bag of blood is still provided in case a transfusion is needed.

Edgar Lagarnia of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB-7), said they would visit the people operating the quarry site to check if they have a quarry permit.

Chief Engr. Romeo Patalinghug, head of the Mining Safety and Health Section said residents should stop illegal quarrying to avoid any untoward incidents in the future.

“When there is a permit, safety measures are immediately given to the miners,” he said in a phone interview.

Barangay Tinubda officials earlier warned residents not to quarry sand in the site to avoid being buried under sand. /Joy Cherry Quito, Correspondent