A Family’s Unforgettable Beach Escape During the Pandemic

On October 9, 2021, we celebrated the birthdays of my father and Ate Vhie with a family outing to the beach in San Diego, Lian, Batangas. It was during the pandemic, and we faced difficulties entering Batangas due to the lockdown. Despite our best efforts to negotiate with the local authorities, we were denied entry and asked to return to Manila. However, our friends were determined to reach the beach and found alternative routes to enter the province.

We traveled through narrow, bumpy mountain roads, some of which were muddy and unfinished, making the journey quite scary. We left Cainta at 10 AM, but by 6 PM, we were still lost in the mountains, feeling as if something was leading us astray. We relied on asking locals for directions and using Google Maps, though the weak mobile signal made it challenging. At one point, we considered turning back, but our group remained persistent. Some of us were on motorcycles, while others, including myself, were in a van.

After several hours of navigating the mountains, we finally reached our contact at the beach resort, who had been waiting for us. It was past 7 PM when we arrived. We rested briefly and then had dinner. The caretaker advised us not to swim that night due to strong waves caused by the monsoon winds. Instead, we spent the evening drinking and singing.

The next morning, we noticed the waves were incredibly strong, pulling the sand into the sea. The caretaker warned us again not to swim, even near the shore. My nephew almost got swept away while playing by the water, but my father saw him just in time. After breakfast, around 10 AM on October 10, 2021, we heard faint cries for help from people struggling to return to the shore due to the strong waves. Fortunately, there were people on watch who rescued them.

We saw a group of young people being carried further away from the beach by the waves. The shouts for help grew louder, and the beachgoers were unsure how to rescue them due to the distance and the strength of the waves. Attempts to use a fishing boat for rescue failed as the waves damaged the boat. Despite the strict lockdown measures in Batangas, the beach was crowded.

We watched as local rescuers attempted to save the drowning youths, who were scattered in the sea. One by one, they were rescued and given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, as they had swallowed seawater. Among those rescued was the famous vlogger and TikToker Harvey Kyle Andres. I saw him being revived on the beach, seemingly lifeless at first. After several minutes of resuscitation, he expelled the water and regained consciousness. This was the first time I saw him and Jam Morales together, before they became well-known on social media. Several others were also rescued and treated. The scene was chaotic, with many people crying and shouting. Six people were saved, but one woman in a white dress remained floating in the sea, and people feared she might be dead.

The rescuers had a hard time reaching her because she was so far away. It took several minutes before they could get to her, and she seemed lifeless. The local rescuers carried her with her head hanging in the water. When they reached the beach, they immediately gave her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. They did this several times, but after a few minutes, she still didn’t respond. She had lost her pulse, so they rushed her to the hospital. We later heard that she had passed away. We found out that she was a model.

We couldn’t bear to stay and watch, so we returned to our cottage. That was the first time I felt fear of the sea. It was traumatic for me, even though I was just watching. Now, every time I go to the beach, I always think about it. I used to be able to dive underwater, but now I can’t. I’m afraid I might drown too. During our entire stay at the beach, we didn’t swim. We just ate, drank, and sang to keep ourselves happy. It was traumatic for me, but I’m still thankful to God that nothing bad happened to any of us.