OVP: Cash assistance, other aid given to M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 victims

The office of Vice President Sara Duterte has provided financial assistance to the victims of the ill-fated M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 which sunk off the waters of Pilas Island, Basilan last month.

“Yes, opo, nagbigay po tayo ng financial assistance per diseased person, or per missing person, or per survivor. Lahat po ng pasahero po na nandoon sa aksidente sa RoRo ay binigyan natin ng financial assistance,” Duterte said in a chance interview in Jolo, Sulu on Monday.

(Yes, we provided financial assistance per deceased person, or per missing person, or per survivor. We gave financial assistance to all the passengers who were in that RoRo accident.) 

Duterte said each passenger was given P2,500 as well as grocery items.

“Maliit lang po yung kinakaya ng Office of the Vice President dahil ayun po ay ano lang din tulong ng mga pribadong indibidwal para sa mga biktima,” she said. 

(The amount the Office of the Vice President can provide is only small because that was from the assistance from private individuals for the victims.) 

So far, the death toll in the sea tragedy has reached 45 while over 300 survived after M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 went down in the early morning of January 26. 

Duterte also met with the survivors and the kin of the fatalities and missing passengers in Jolo and in Zamboanga City.

“Doon sa Jolo, katulad lang din dito nung nangyari nung una, ginrupo namin yung mga namatayan, kinausap namin. Ginrupo namin yung mga nag-aantay, yung mga may missing na kapamilya, at kinausap din namin, kinuha namin ‘yung mga nararamdaman nila, mga reklamo nila,” the Vice President said.

(In Jolo, just like what happened here initially, we gathered the bereaved families and spoke with them. We also gathered those who were waiting, those whose family members were missing, and spoke with them as well. We asked about their feelings and their complaints.) 

“Mayroong napansin ko na tanggap na nila na patay na at gusto lang nilang makita yung bangkay. Mayroon namang hanggang ngayon ay hopeful sila na makitang buhay ‘yung kanilang mga kamag-anak. ‘Yung sa mga survivors, ‘yung trauma nung nangyari sa kanila. Maraming nagsabi na nakakatakot talaga yung nangyari,” Duterte told reporters in Zamboanga City. 

(I noticed that some already accepted that their loved ones are dead and they just want to find the remains. Others, meanwhile, remain hopeful that they will find their relatives alive. As to the survivors, they are still traumatized by what happened to them. Many have said that what happened was truly terrifying.) 

Earlier, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) grounded the entire fleet of Aleson Shipping Lines, the owner of M/V Trisha Kerstin 3, as authorities conducted a maritime safety and inspection audit following the incident.

Duterte stressed that all sea vessels must be safe for travel. 

“Lahat ng barko na lumalayag, bumabiyahe, dapat seaworthy siya, ‘ayun talaga yung number one requirement. So kailangan natin malaman kung seaworthy yung barko na lumubog,” she said.

(Every ship that sets sail and travels must be seaworthy, that is really the number one requirement. So we need to find out if the ship that sank was seaworthy.)

Meanwhile, Duterte said she was avoiding talking to anyone, including senators, to prevent them from being bullied by the administration.

Duterte made the statement as she was asked about her thoughts on the term sharing in the Senate, which may be linked to the impeachment cases filed against her.

“Wala naman ako nakakausap na senator sa term sharing. In fact hindi ko na nga kinakausap yung mga senators kasi napapansin ko kapag merong kumakausap o tumutulong sa akin or kahit man lang nangangamusta sa akin ay binabanatan ng administration, pina-filan ng kaso, tine-threaten, hinaharas,” Duterte said.

(I am not talking to any senator about term sharing. In fact, I no longer talk to senators because I have noticed that anyone who speaks to me, helps me, or even just checks on me gets attacked by the administration, are charged with cases, threatened, or harassed.) —JMA/NB, GMA Integrated News