MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) disclosed that the Holy Week holiday period, beginning March 27, was marred by 34 drowning incidents across the nation, resulting in 29 fatalities. These incidents occurred in various regions, reflecting the risks associated with the traditional exodus to bodies of water during this peak vacation time.
According to Philippines News Agency, the victims of these tragic events ranged in age from a four-year-old child to an elderly individual of 78. Amid these incidents, there are still three individuals unaccounted for, located in Rosales, Pangasinan, and Jones and Tumauini in Isabela. The distribution of drowning cases highlighted Calabarzon as the region with the highest number at 10, followed by Ilocos and Cagayan Valley with six each, and the Bicol Region reporting five.
In a note of hope amidst the tragedies, Col. Fajardo reported successful rescue operations involving two children. In Ilocos Sur, police personnel performed life-saving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a four-year-old boy, while another child was rescued in Aurora province by SAR (Search and Rescue)-trained officers. These instances underscore the importance and effectiveness of the deployment of over 52,000 police officers nationwide, trained in various security and life-saving protocols, for the Lenten break security operations.
Despite these incidents, the PNP characterized the overall Holy Week as "generally peaceful," with a continued heightened alert status extending through Monday to oversee the safe return of millions of citizens traveling back from provincial areas. This period of vigilance reflects the PNP's commitment to public safety during significant national holidays and their associated mass movements.