MACO, Davao de Oro (MindaNews / 21 March)— The three-year-old who miraculously survived the Masara landslide last Feb. 6 is recovering well, some 41 days after she was found buried amid the rubble for about 50 hours.
Orlando Malacaste, the father of Sheena (or “Chinchin”), said his daughter is currently with relatives in Tagum City so that the family can take care of her properly inside a home instead of an evacuation center.
MindaNews interviewed Malacaste earlier this week at the Elizalde National High School in Maco, Davao de Oro.
Chinchin now spends her time fully recovered, photos sent by her father showed.
The girl was found around 7 a.m. of Feb. 9, three days after the landslide.
When she was rescued, Chinchin was first sent to the Mawab Community Hospital for an initial assessment, and eventually moved to the Davao Regional Medical Center in nearby Tagum City for further treatment.
A video of rescuers finding Chinchin immediately went viral, with the Incident Command Post in Maco deciding to continue with search and rescue, hoping more people would be found.
No one else was found alive under the rubble. There was a faulty report that a three-month-old infant was found, too, but officials later corrected this.
The infant was only a medical case, suffering dehydration, according to officials.
Chinchin spent four days recovering at the hospital, where she was found to be suffering from concussions, traumatic brain injury without an open intracranial wound, superficial ear injuries, a few scrapes around her eyes and ears, and other parts of her body.
Chinchin was later discharged in the afternoon of Feb. 13.
According to Orlando, he is currently deciding his next steps, as there have been job offers from various offices who approached him after finding out about his family’s situation.
Orlando lost his wife Liezel “Tata” Detomal, 37 (she carried her maiden name), and eldest daughter Shaira, 17, the night of the landslide.
He is raising Chinchin and Shaina, 8, with relatives willing to help.
He and Chinchin are enjoying a second life, Orlando said, adding he was happy Chinchin was given a chance at a full life.
“I asked her how she was able to survive and what she did while she was stuck under the rubble,” Orlando said. “She just said ‘Nothing. I just slept.’”
Shaina, for her part, was with her father that night. The house, with its lower part made of concrete, saved the two.
His wife and eldest daughter didn’t make it as they were outside and swept away by an unseen rumble of rocks and mud.
Orlando, a security guard working at the Indigenous Peoples Bagani Security Agency, is deciding his next steps but said he was being taken care of by various sources of help.
He said he has not decided what to do next, but his needs and that of his family were being met.
The provincial government, national government officials, and some civilians sent him some help in terms of financial and other forms of assistance days after the tragedy.
On Thursday, March 21, the family would gather at the Muslim Cemetery in Pandapan, Tagum, Davao del Norte, where his family’s dead were buried for the 40th day prayers, Orlando said. (He is a Balik-Islam.)
The Philippine Coast Guard K9 dog named “Appa” that found the toddler was recognized as a hero and hailed for its heroism in finding Chinchin.
Awarded, too, was Appa’s handler, PCG Petty Officer 2 Alfie Baba.
In a speech delivered last Feb. 19, Vice President Sara Z. Duterte said “Appa teaches us that anyone, regardless of labels, can make a difference. His courage reminds us to cherish our animal companions more. Today, it is my honor and privilege to recognize all the deserving Coast Guard personnel, including Appa.”
Appa was awarded the Bronze Cross for his bravery in ceremonies in Davao City last Feb. 19.
Authorities have recorded the death toll due to the Masara landslide at 98, aside from the 8 others who are still missing.
As of this writing, neither the local or national government, as well as Apex Mining, have released the names of the missing eight.
In a message sent to MindaNews, Apex said they would defer to the families to announce the demise of their relatives.
Orlando and the rest of the evacuees coming from the Lorenzo Sarmiento Elementary School have been moved to evacuation areas in Maco, Davao de Oro.
This, after the Department of Education in Davao de Oro no longer pushed through with another extension after March 15, the last day that evacuees coming from various barangays in Maco would be allowed to stay in public schools in Mawab.
Some of the school evacuation centers in Maco, such as Elizalde Elementary and Elizalde High School, remain active for Purok 1, Masara residents, but students share the campus with evacuees. (Yas D. Ocampo / MindaNews)
