The Waves Took Her Away

I spent holy week in Palawan with my family for our bienial family reunion. My family flew ahead of me because i wasnt allowed to go on leave coz there were a lot of clients in the bank before the long weekend. So I flew alone a day after they did. The NAIA terminal 3 was gorgeous. Its been a while since the last time I flew on an airplane before last week. And the last time i was on a plane, i couldnt see outside the window. This time, i had a window seat. Clouds look breathtaking when theyre beneath you and when you go through them.

I was a bit worried when I landed in Palawan because Sun cellular didnt have a signal in their airport, and in most of Palawan as i later found out. My uncle’s driver fetched me at the airport. He hasnt seen me before so its a miracle how he recognized me given only my uncles description that i look like him.

So the van took me to San Vicente where my lola lives. Its more than 4 hours drive from the city. The smell of skunk reminded me that i was in Palawan. Its a very distinct Palawan smell. Im not talking about the entire Palawan ok! Its just some isolated incidents where a skunk felt threatened.

The next morning I woke up early to go to the beach. San Vicente has the longest stretch of white sand beach in Palawan. 18 kilometers. Its not yet commercialized but it will be very soon. Its absolutely gorgeous. My cousins, nephews and neices then followed. We played in the water. Catching waves. Laughing all the time. Then it was time to go. We wanted to go to the rice fields. My cousins and I were talking on the beach. Getting to know each other again. It was the first time I met Aia. She’s a beautiful 12 year old cousin. She was the one who wanted to visit the rice fields. So we agreed to wash. I went ahead of them to lolas house to wash. They washed in the sea. As i was cleaning myself up in the bathroom. I heard screams and wailing. “Theyre drowning!” I felt my stomach turn upside down. I ran to the beach. Wearing only my underwear. I saw them drowning. Two of them were still struggling in the deep water. I wanted to go to them and rescue them but I knew that i couldnt. I know how to swim but not enough to save someone whos drowning. We got a boat and got to them.

Then we saw something white floating from a distance. The kids screamed thats Aia! She was floating unconscious. The rescuers got to her too late. Dr Fernandez, my brother in law did CPR. Although he knew it was too late. Aia was dead. But still we were hoping. I was praying earnestly for a miracle. Not wanting to accept that shes dead. They took her to the hospital, but there was nothing that they could do.

We had to leave for Puerto Princesa immediately. We stopped by at the cemetery where lolo is burried to make arrangements for Aia. It was a very difficult day for everyone. I kept thinking of what I could have done if i had not left the kids early. It was all i could think about.

We ate at a diner across the street of our hotel. Food is sooo cheap in Puerto Princesa. You can have a meal for only 30 pesos! In Manila that could only buy you bread. Hotels are cheap too. 900 pesos a day. We decided to go to one of Puerto's fancy restaurants for dinner. My friend from Manila told me about Balinsasayaw. I also saw it featured on a travel show and on a travel magazine. Its a garden restaurant. No airconditioning because it was al-fresco. The food was great and they had big servings. And best of all the food was sooo cheap. There There were ten of us and we only paid 1700 Pesos. In Manila that meal would cost somewhere between 5000 to 6000 pesos.

The following day our relatives suggested that we (my immediate family) go to the underground river. I was a bit surprised to hear that. But we really did want to go. My relatives are very open minded that way. I didnt spend 12000 pesos just to sulk in a funeral. With all due respect. So we went and sailed to the undergound river.

As we were sailing on the boat, still all i could think of was Aia. I could see her face whenever i looked on the water. She was asking for help. The waves were high. My neice Blainshel who was with Aia when she drowned was crying. Maybe she was afraid. Afraid of the ocean because of what happened. Maybe she was sad. She could have been thinking of Aia just like I was. Or maybe both. I couldnt concentrate on appreciating the beauty of Palawan because all I could think of was the accident. We still had fun in the underground river though. Its hard not to.

My flight is a day earlier than the rest of my family because i have work the following day. When i got to the airport the plane was boarding already, i was told. But for the life of me i didnt understand what she meant. Im not used to flying alone. I usually just follow whoever im with. Luckily one of the guards saw my ticket and reminded me that the plane was boarding already. When i got to the plane the flight attendants were all by the door staring at me. Probably whispering how stupid i am for causing the delay.

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