Five people drowned in separate incidents in Pangasinan during the Holy Week, including a 17-year-old boy in Aguilar on Good Friday.
The boy was trying to cross the deep part of the Maples River in Barangay Bayaoas when he drowned.
A video taken by a witness showed many people enjoying the river to cool off from the heat — until the joyful scene turned tragic.
The boy, who reportedly did not know how to swim, was seen struggling in the water.
Rescuers from the local disaster response team tried to revive him and rushed him to the hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival.
According to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), five drowning cases were recorded across Pangasinan during Holy Week:
- April 16 – Bued River, Pozorrubio
- April 18 – Embarcadero River, Malasiqui
- April 18 – Maples River, Aguilar
- April 19 – Agno River, Rosales
- April 20 – Bagbag Beach, Sual
Authorities said these numbers may increase as more people flock to rivers and beaches.
“Ang hinihingi lang natin sa publiko ay ‘yung disiplina at kooperasyon,” Avenix Arenas, Assistant DRRM Officer of Pangasinan, said.
The province remains under Code Blue alert, meaning local response teams are on standby.
“Tuloy-tuloy ang monitoring. Kung kinakailangan ang responde ay [nakahanda] ang ating equipment,” Arenas added.
Officials remind swimmers to stay calm, float on their back, and regulate their breathing to avoid drowning if they get leg cramps or feel tired in the water.
