Families of M/V June Aster passengers await news of missing loved ones

Maria Victoria Lloveras had promised her father that she would make up for lost time after she said that she was too busy at work — now, she waits restlessly with other families for word about father who was one of that passengers of ill-fated vessel M/V June Aster.

In a "24 Oras" report from Oscar Oida on Thursday, family members were in tears as they waited for an update on their missing loved ones who were aboard the vessel. The M/V June Aster caught fire in Palawan waters, with at least five people dead and more than 80 people missing.

“Sabi ko babawi nalang kami babawi na lang ako kasi nagaaya pa nga siya mag-Baguio pa eh, sabi ko ‘di kakayanin ng oras kasi may work ako di naman ako pwede umabsent,” Lloveras said.

(I told him I would make it up next time because he wanted to go to Baguio, I said that I did not have the time because I had work and I could not be absent.)

Like many others, Lloveras waited at the office of the Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc. in Manila, the owner and operator of the M/V June Aster.

It was difficult not knowing, Lloveras said. It would have been preferable if her father was in a hospital bed.

For Liza Wang, two of her employees were on the ship.

“Nung nalaman ko yung balita na yon, di’ na ako nakatulog kasi kinakabahan na ako,” Wang said. (When I found out the news I could not sleep, I was so worried.)

Marilou Sablaon said that in a phone call her live-in partner was still asking her how she was the day before the tragedy.

“Kinukumusta lang niya ako kung okay ba ako, kung pagod ba ako dito. Sabi ko okay lang. Tapos bigla na lang narinig ko na sabi niya may sunog sa barko. Yun na yung last,” Sablaon said.

(He asked me if I was okay, if I was tired. I said I was okay. Then suddenly I just heard him say that there was a fire. That was the last.)

Sablaon said it was like there was no fire at all, no fire alarms rang.

For Mindy Barayuga, she waited for word about her sibling. She did not know if they were able to jump or if they were stuck inside.

Evelyn Umpad, who is waiting for news about her relatives, expressed frustration that no representative was speaking to them.

“Sana may kausap man lang kami diyan sa opisina nila para malaman namin kasagutan sa tanong namin … kung ligtas ba sila o hindi,” Umpad said.

(I wish we could talk to someone from the office so we could get some answers to our questions… if they are safe or not.)

Some others took to social media to look for their loved ones.

By 10 a.m., representatives of the shipping firm finally faced the relatives. While they declined to make a statement to the media, they spoke to the relatives and collected their contact information. They were also offered transportation and lodging to Coron.

Representatives from the Department of Labor and Employment also visited the shipping company's office, but no representatives met with them. The officials will return on another day. — Jean Mangaluz/BAP, GMA News