HAGONOY,
Bulacan—A perfect Christmas gift.
That
was how fishermen here described the repair of the 80-old lighthouse saying it
will benefit fellow fishermen living in communities along the coast of Manila
Bay.
The
lighthouse was repaired on Friday afternoon by member engineers of the Sigla
Movement of the Philippines (SMP) less than a month after an ocular inspection
on November 24.
Located
at the coast of Barangay Pugad here, the lighthouse has lost its light more
than seven years ago when its solar powered batteries expired.
Barangay
Pugad is one of the two coastal villages of their town, and both are at least
one hour ride from the Hagonoy town proper.
Edgardo
Baltazar, the chair of the Samahang Mangigisda ng Pugad said no other gift
could perfect for them saying, “ito ang pinakamagandang pamasko sa amin, ang
tagal naming hinintay na magkailaw uli yang parola.”
He
said that the re-lighting the lighthouse erase their anxiety in resuming their
fishing activities at the Manila Bay at night.
“Hindi
na kami nangangamba ngayon na sumadsad sa pilapil ng palaisdaan ang bangka
namin at masira ang elisi at timon,” Baltazar said referring to submerged
fishpond dikes that used to cause damage on their boat’s propeller and rudder
when they make miscalculation at night.
The
same was echoed by Rogelio Tamayo, the vice chair of the fisherfolk
association.
He
said that the lighthouse served as guide for generations of fisherfolk here and
other coastal villages of Bulacan and Pampanga.
Both
Baltazar and Tamayo started fishing in their teens and are still pursuing the
same until now.
Village
councilmen Alfredo Lunes, Bernard Dave Concepcion and Gilbert Tamayo said that
they sought help for the repair of lighthouse for years.
“Marami
na kaming opisyal na nilapitan pero hindi rin natupad ang pangako,” Lunes said
referring to moves made by the Sangguniang Barangay of Pugad.
But
things started to change after Concepcion posted a picture of the lighthouse on
Facebook.com on January 2011, and caught the attention of this writer.
The
story and picture of the unrepaired lighthouse was published by the STAR in
February 2011 and local officials began to take notice of the situation.
Governor
Wilhlemino Alvarado submitted a request to the Central Luzon Regional
Development Council (RDC) on June 30, 2011 asking endorsement for the repair of
the lighthouse.
It
was unanimously approved months later in an RDC meeting in Malolos and a resolution
was submitted in Malacanang.
 |
| SMP Chair Dax Uy (L), MCDC chairman elect Rezzy Tanjuan-Totlentino (R) |
Last
November 24, the Sigla Movement of the Philippines led by Grossman Dax Uy
conducted an ocular inspection on the lighthouse and vowed to lead its repair.
In
an earlier interview Uy cited the importance of the lighthouse to small
fishermen.
As
a businessman involved in trading solar panels and other electronic equipment,
he said that repairing the lighthouse is a simple gift to fishermen. (Dino
Balabo)