By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The missing fisherman from Negros Occidental’s Cadiz City amid inclement weather was found alive off the coast of Cebu province’s Bantayan Island on Thursday, July 27.

Jolly Beating Jr., 35 years old, a resident of Barangay Cadiz Viejo, left the city’s Lakawon Island last Tuesday, July 25, to deliver construction materials to Barangay Himoga-an Baybay in neighboring Sagay City.

Authorities said, at around 4:00 p.m., Beating was returning to Lakawon when his boat encountered rough waves and strong winds.

His boat’s outrigger broke and he had to drop the anchor to avoid drifting away.

Beating managed to receive a mobile phone call from his elder sister, Jonelyn, and he informed her of what had happened.

Jonelyn asked for assistance from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Cadiz to initiate a search and rescue operation.

Beating said he saw the responding PCG personnel and tried to make a signal using his flashlight.

However, due to poor visibility brought by the inclement weather, the rescuers were unable to find him.

The situation further escalated when the anchor broke and his boat drifted off the coastal waters of Cebu.

After two days, Beating was finally found alive by local fishermen in Bantayan.

Arrangements are now being made for Beating to return home to Cadiz following his two-day ordeal./DGB, WDJ