Accidents can really happen anytime and anywhere, thus those who always come vigilant and prepared were likely to have high chances of survival. The Bocaue Pagoda tragedy in Bacaue Bulacan is just one of the many catastrophes in Philippine history.
The tragedy took place on July 2, 1993, when devotees celebrated the Bocaue River Festival in honor of the Holy Cross, the Mahal na Poon ng Krus sa Wawa, found in 1850 in the Bocaue River. The festival was most awaited by the locals as it involves riding on Pagoda and a fireworks display which was adored by most families and teenagers. The pagoda of the year 1993 was said to be celebrated by an estimate of 800 to 1,000 souls on board.
At 8:15 in the evening, while the pagoda was streaming along the river, a skyrocket known as kwitis flew towards the pagoda which caused panic to the people on board. Terrified with the skyrocket, majority of the people run to the other side of the pagoda causing the concentrated weight to tilt the barge. The pagoda then collapsed and slowly sank to the riverbed. Most victims do not know how to swim hence they were grabbing those who can, however, some victims were trapped inside the pagoda and were dragged down to the riverbed. Witnesses claimed that there were fishermen who drew their fishing boats to help save the victims but the pagoda's light was still on and the power generator was still operational which may have electrocuted some victims.
Thirteen-year-old Sahjid S. Bulig and his fiend Richard Celestino, members of Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP), have saved eight kids who were on the pagoda, with Bulig saving six from persistently getting back to the pagoda regardless of Celestino's cautions. Bulig was then found dead the next morning. On October 31, 1993, the BSP retrospectively granted Bulig with the Gold Medal of Honor while they granted Celestino with the Silver Medal of Honor, both for their courageous deeds in the tragedy. The same year, the Department of the Interior and Local Government made the Sahjid Bulig Presidential Award for Heroism, to pay tribute to Bulig's actions and sacrifice.
The festival was then put on hiatus for 2 decades as the locals grieved for the souls of more than 200 devotees. The festival was then revived in 2014 but this time, the new pagoda was sized down and devotees were required to register and wear life vests.
That's it for tonight's narrative folks, good night!
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