IN THEIR OWN WORDS: The fishermen of Gem-Ver
On the shores of home in Barangay San Roque, Occidental Mindoro, the men of Gem-Ver tell their stories
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OCCIDENTAL MINDORO, Philippines – On June 9, 2019, a Chinese vessel rammed a Filipino fishing boat anchored near Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea then abandoned the 22 fishermen aboard it.
As they watched their boat sink in the dead of night, two of them paddled their way to another foreign boat from afar. As it turned out, those aboard the vessel were Vietnamese fishermen who rescued them.
It was the longest night of their lives and they remember it in vivid detail.
Here are the men of Gem-Ver and what they remember most about the hours that they thought would be their last.
Junel Insigne
Captain
Age: 46
Years as a fisherman: 35
Years with Gem-Ver: 4
“Mga alas-12, narinig ko na nagsisigaw ’yung kusinero na paandarin daw ’yung makina. Mababangga...May mababangga na barko. Papaandarin ko nga, pero ’yun, tinamaan na kami.”
(Close to midnight, I heard our cook shouting to start the engine. There would be a collision...a boat was coming right at us. I tried to turn on the engine, but then we were already hit.)
Richard Blaza
Cook
Age: 38
Years as a fisherman: 19
Years with Gem-Ver: 3
“Noong naluto ’yung sinaing ko, may napansin lang akong ilaw sa malayo. Tapos nahiga lang ako. Tamang idlip ko lang, napansin ko lang ’yung andar, ang barko, ’yung ugong. Eh ’di nagmulat ako, nag-upo ako. Noong pagtingin ko, ’yung barko, nandiyan na ’yung barko, malapit na, mahahagip kami. Sumigaw na kaagad ako sa mga kasamahan ko.”
(When the rice I was cooking was done, I noticed a light in the distance. After I finished, I lay down. Just as I was about to fall asleep, I heard the sound of a boat’s engine, the hum. I opened my eyes and sat up. I saw the boat, it was approaching, we were going to get hit. I shouted right away to warn the others.)
Boy Gordiones
Mechanic
Age: 52
Years as a fisherman: 30
Years with Gem-Ver: 3
“Sinubukan ko na buksan sana ang shutter, ay tubig na.”
(I tried to open the shutter, but there was water already.)
Jaypee Gordiones
Fisherman (one of the rowers to the Vietnamese)
Age: 31
Years as a fisherman: 20
Years with Gem-Ver: 16
“Ang iniisip ko lang talaga makahanap ng makakatulong sa amin.”
(All I was thinking of was finding someone to help us.)
Jomar Gordiones
Fisherman
Age: 21
Years as a fisherman: 10
Years with Gem-Ver: 3
“Simula nung bata kami, doon (sa pangingisda) na kami naghahanap-buhay, eh. Wala na po kaming ibang alam na hanapbuhay.”
(Ever since we were kids, we’ve been fishing for a living. We don’t know any other kind of work.)
Justine Pacaul
Fisherman (one of the rowers to the Vietnamese)
Age: 21
Years as a fisherman: 6
Years with Gem-Ver: 1
“Iniisip ko na ’yung mga naiwan namin, tapos ’yung mga kasamahan namin. Paano pala kung hindi kami nakahingi ng tulong? Paano na rin sila? Paano na rin kaming dalawa (ni Jaypee Gordiones)? Iniisip ko rin po ’yung mga naiwan ko din.”
(I thought of those we left behind and our colleagues. What if we didn’t find help? What would have happened to them? What would have happened to both Jaypee and myself? I also thought about those I left behind.)
Cirilo “Siloy” Escuterio
Fisherman
Age: 43
Years as a fisherman: 26
Years with Gem-Ver: 7
“Ang nasa isip ko…’dun na lang ako. Eh kung halimbawa walang mangyari, eh di, dito na lang ako. Kung halimbawa mamamatay man ako…Sa isip ko, ’di na ko aalis dito sa bangka.”
(I was thinking this was it. If nothing happened, this would be my end. If I was going to die, I thought to myself, I’d rather not abandon this ship.)
Antonio Torres Jr
Fisherman
Age: 34
Years as a fisherman: 16
Years with Gem-Ver: 16
“Sa halip na kami’y tulungan, iniwanan pa.”
(Instead of helping us, they abandoned us.)
Bannie Condeza
Fisherman
Age: 39
Years as a fisherman: 17
Years with Gem-Ver: 17
“’Pag nandoon sa trahedya, ’wag mawalan ng pag-asa. Think positive lagi. Laging palakasin ang loob. ’Wag yung bibigay agad…Laging kailangan mo ng lakas ng loob. Magdasal.”
(In the midst of tragedy, don’t lose hope. Always think positive. Keep your spirit strong. Don’t give in right away. You always need to be strong. Pray.)
Melquiadez “Ding” Tiamzon
Fisherman
Age: 28
Years as a fisherman: 10
Years with Gem-Ver: 10
“Ayos naman ’yung mga huli namin…Kaya lang nung pang-siyam na araw namin ay, ’yun nga, ’yung gabi, nabunggo kami ng barko ng China.”
(Everything was fine with our catch….But on our ninth day, that night, the Chinese vessel hit us.)
Mark Roldan
Fisherman
Age: 30
Years as a fisherman: 5
Years with Gem-Ver: 3
“Bago nga ako nagising, lubog na.”
(Before I woke up, we were already sinking.)
Jimuel Gregorio
Fisherman
Age: 18
Years as a fisherman: 4
Years with Gem-Ver: 4
“Dito kami kumukuha ng pang-kain namin para mabuhay ’yung mga kapatid ko, ’yung manong ko.”
(This is where we get food to eat to survive…food for my siblings, my elder brother.)
Ramil Gregorio
Fisherman
Age: 44
Years as a fisherman: 20
Years with Gem-Ver: 4
“Kinabahan ako. Medyo natuwa rin ako na walang nangyari sa amin. Nagsama-sama rin kaming lahat sa pangyayari na ’yon.”
(I was alarmed when it happened. I was glad we didn’t die. We all came together in that tragic event.)
Lim Gregorio
Fisherman
Age: 28
Years as a fisherman: 12
Years with Gem-Ver: 12
“Mangingisda pa? Oo, sa awa ng diyos, pagkatapos [maayos] ang bangka.”
(Will I still fish? Yes, by the grace of God, once the boat is repaired.)
Jeffrey “Badok” Roldan
Fisherman
Age: 27
Years as a fisherman: 7
Years with Gem-Ver: 4
“Ang masasabi ko lang, kapag nasa gitna ng laot, kailangang mag-ingat dahil naranasan na namin ’yung takot at hindi namin inasahan na darating ’yun sa buhay namin.”
(All I can say is, when you’re in the middle of the ocean, you need to be careful because we already experienced fear which we never expected in our life.)
Frederick “Bang Bang” Roldan
Fisherman
Age: 22
Years as a fisherman: 7
Years with Gem-Ver: 1
“Mahalaga po sa akin ’yang pangingisda. ’Yan lang talaga ’yung hanapbuhay ko.”
(Fishing is important to me. It’s the only thing I do for a living.)
Regan Sta Maria
Fisherman
Age: 32
Years as a fisherman: 6
Years with Gem-Ver: 6
“Hindi naman basta-basta maiwan ’yung boss namin. Tagal na namin dito…Kung saan ako nagsimula, doon rin ako magtatapos.”
(We couldn’t just leave our boss. We’ve been here for a long time….I will end where I started.)
Ramil Agustin
Fisherman
Age: 33
Years as a fisherman: 13
Years with Gem-Ver: 13
“Nagdadasal ako na sana masagip kami ng katulad naming mga Pilipino.”
(I was praying that we would be saved by fellow Filipinos.)
Edgar Martinez
Fisherman
Age: 39
Years as a fisherman: 19
Years with Gem-Ver: 17
“Babalik pa rin ako. Ito ang hanapbuhay namin.”
(I’ll come back. This is our livelihood.)
Joven Jacinto
Fisherman
Age: 27
Years as a fisherman: 8
Years with Gem-Ver: 8
“Mangingisda ako ng Gem-Ver.”
(I am a fisherman of Gem-Ver.)
Arnel “Alyo” Gadon
Fisherman
Age: 36
Years as a fisherman: 18
Years with Gem-Ver: 7
“Narinig ko po nagsisigawan. Sabi ng kusinero, andiyan na! Nakita ko [’yung barko].”
(I heard the shouting. The cook said it was coming! I saw the boat.)
Lemuel Gregorio
Fisherman
Age: 39
Years as a fisherman: 19
Years with Gem-Ver: 17
“Wala na, wala na akong masabi….Basta mahalaga ito dahil diyan ang hanapbuhay namin.”
(Nothing, I have nothing left to say….Only that this is important because this is our livelihood.)
Part 1 | THE SINKING OF GEM-VER: Barko! May babanggang barko!
Conclusion | Despite Duterte, Gem-Ver fishermen buckle down to work
Video | Gem-Ver fishermen eager to sail again
