Hon. Felix Santos – Barangay Kagawad and Chief of Brgy. Ugong Rescue Team

Hon. Felix Santos sits as kagawad (councilman) for Pasig City’s Barangay Ugong.  In this position, he is in charge of the barangay’s peace and order, disaster management, and rescue operation. 

Felix has become a fixture on television with his team’s consistent response to a number of emergencies not only in their immediate proximity but also to far away locations.

In 2004, he and his group became involved in the recovery operations in Manila Bay at the aftermath of the Super Ferry 14 incident, which has killed more than a hundred passengers.

Felix was awarded the Most Outstanding Pasigueno in 2003 for his humanitarian service and selfless involvement in risking his own life in the line of duty.

Read more about Felix Santos and his Ugong Rescue unit, and learn more about what it takes to be of service to others, and what keeps a rescue volunteer on saving lives with selfless regard.

Click here for the audio. 

Jay-R Patron:  Magsimula na po tayo.  Pakisabi lang po sa amin kung ano yung ginagawa niyo?

Let’s start, what do you do for a living?

Felix Santos:  Dito sa barangay ako ang kagawad na naka-assign sa Peace and Order, Disaster Management, and Rescue Operation.  Isa sa mga tasking ko itong emergency unit natin, yung rescue.  Mga tasking natin yung sa fire, pag may tawag ng fire rumirisponde kami.  Pagdating sa vehicular accidents, yun ang madalas na nangyayari sa C5, yun isa sa mga special skills namin—yung mag-extricate ng victim sa sasakyan na naipit.  Dun sa ilog naman, yung pag-retrieve ng mga nalulunod, scuba diving naman yun—water recovery, search and rescue.  Yung high angle naman, medyo madalang naman mangayari pero trained na rin kami dun.

Here in our village, I am the councilor assigned at peace and order, disaster management, and rescue operation.  One of my tasks is to head the emergency unit, our rescue team.  We respond to fire, vehicular accidents, which often happens on C5.  That’s one of our special skills, to extricate victims pitted inside vehicles.  We also do underwater retrievals, water recovery, search and rescue.  For the high angle emergencies, they seldom happen but we’re also trained for that.

Jay-R Patron:  In an ordinary day, paano po yung trabaho niyo?  Sa isang ordinaryong araw, anong oras kayo pumupunta sa work?

What is an ordinary day at work to you like?  What time do you go to work?

Felix Santos:  Sa araw kailangan ko rin minsan na pumunta dito dahil as kagawad, legislative, may kailangan na pirmahan na papeles.  Pero dito sa rescue sa gabi talaga ako naka tutok dito kaya ako ang ginawa nilang officer of the night mula nuong ako ay maihalal nuong 1997, hanggang ngayon yun pa rin ang ginagawa ko sa gabi.  More on ang priority ko sa gabi ako naka-duty kasi wala ng mga kagawad.  Yun nga, naka-istambay kami dyan, naghihintay kami ng tawag, meron kaming radio.  Naghihintay kami ng mga assistance needed na pupuntahan naming, so kuwentuhan lang diyan.  Pag meron kaming takbo, ayun, takbuhan na.  Depende na lang sa hinihingi na assistance. 

I have to go to work during the day for legislative tasks as councilor.  But for the rescue, my shift is at night.  I have been doing this since 1997.  My priority is more during night time because there are no more councilors present.  Me and my team are on stand by waiting for emergency calls.  We wait for any calls for assistance.  Once we get something, we roll out immediately.

Jay-R Patron:  Hanggang saan kayo umaabot, itong sakop nitong rescue team ninyo?

What’s your rescue team’s coverage?

Felix Santos:  Actually ang Ugong Rescue ay naka-assign para sa… barangay-based kasi ito.  So ito naka-design para sa barangay lang talaga pero nasabi rin natin na ang rescue naman, ang pagtulong sa kapwa walang boundaries.  So minsan tinatawagan tayo sa Quezon City.  Tinatawagan din tayo sa mga karatig bayan na wala pang mga kagamitin para sa pagalalay sa mga naipit sa sasakyan.  So wala tayong magawa.  Minsan pag tinawag sa atin ng 117, eh national yun, so napipilitan talaga tayong rumisponde kahit hindi na jurisdiction ng barangay.

Ugong Rescue is village-based.  So we are assigned technically for this village, but then again helping those in need knows no boundaries.  We sometimes respond to emergencies at Quezon City.  We get calls from neighboring districts which do not have the hydraulic equipment needed to extricate victims out of wreckage.  We get calls from 117, that’s national, so we respond to that even if its not under the jurisdiction of the barangay.

Jay-R Patron:  Yung team niyo, anon a yung pinaka-malayong naabot ninyo?

What’s the farthest place that you’ve responded to?

Felix Santos:  Ang tingin ko, ang pinaka malayo at pinaka-mabigat ay yung rumisponde kami sa Bataan.  Yun yung nalunod yung, nagkaroon ng problema yung ating Super Ferry 14 nuong 2003 ata. 

I think the farthest and the heaviest was when we responded to the Super Ferry 14 incident back in 2003.

Jay-R Patron:  Babalik tayo sa Super Ferry mamaya.  How did you start being a rescue volunteer?

We’ll get back to that in a while.  How did you start being a rescue volunteer?

Felix Santos:  1997 ako’y naging kagawad, nagsimula ho tayo sa politika.  Nag-umpisa kami, wala pa ho kaming ambulansya nun, naisip ko nuong mga tita ko dinadala sa hospital, nangangatok pa kami sa mga bahay ditto na may sasakyan lalo na sa dis oras ng gabi nakakahiyang mangatok.  So talagang mapipilitan ka, pag may emergency mangangatok ka sa kapit-bahay na may sasakyan para madala yung may emergency sa hospital.  So nung naging kagawad ako sabi ko this is the time na siguro para matugunan yung mga pangangailangan na ganun dito sa barangay naming.  So nagkaroon ng paguusap etong council hanggang mabuo na magkaroon ng isang ambulansya.  So ambulansya pa lang yun, so dun nag-start yung concept ng rescue.

I was elected councilor in 1997.  That’s when I started in politics.  We didn’t have any ambulance then.  I thought we needed one so that we did not have to rely on neighbor’s personal vehicles.   There were times that we were compelled to knock on neighbors to bring someone to the hospital.  When I became a councilor, I pushed for our village to purchase an ambulance.  That’s the start of having a rescue team.

Jay-R Patron:  Bakit sa tingin niyo ho importante ang pag-volunteer?

Why is volunteering important?

Felix Santos:  Napaka-halaga nang pagbo-boluntaryo unang-una dun sa mga nagvovolunteer ngayon at katulad ko rin na nagvovolunteer, isang bagay na sa tingin ko wala naming kapalit pero masarap, masarap yung pakiramdam pag nakatulong ka sa kapwa.  Yun lang talaga, pagnakatulong ka sa kapwa mo , parang ang sarap ng pakiramdam.  Pagka-pinagkukuwentuhan namin yung mga tinulungan namin parang masarap pakinggan yung nagpapasalamat sa yo yung mga tao.  Iniisip nila, ‘may mga suweldo ba kayo ?’  Wala, wala namang suweldo ang mga volunteers natin.  Ginagawa lang naming to para makatulong sa kapwa.

It’s very important to volunteer.  It gives you that sense of contentment and satisfaction when you help others.  That’s it, it feels good to help others.  It’s good to hear people thanking us.  They sometimes ask if we get paid for this.  We do not get any.  We do this solely to be of service to others.

Jay-R Patron:  In your years, sabi mo na you started volunteering nung 1997, now its 2008, so 11 years.  In those years, what is the most important lesson that you’ve learned as a volunteer?

Felix Santos: Siguro yung lesson talaga para sa min eh yung maging tapat ka sa paglilingkod at maging professional sa larangan ng rescue.  Unang-una kailangan properly trained ka, kailangan dito ka na rin mag-aral.  Mahirap naman kasi yung tumulong na ikaw pa yung tutulungan sa banding huli, kailangan safety first di ba?  Masarap na rin yung tumutulungan na alam natin yung ginagawa natin.

The main lesson is to be earnest in your duties and be professional in the field of rescue.  First and foremost, you have to be properly trained.  It’s hard to help others if you do not know what you are doing. 

Jay-R Patron:  When you were younger did you ever think na babagsak ka sa ganitong gawain, sa ganitong profession as a rescue volunteer?

When you were younger, did you ever think of becoming a rescue volunteer?

Felix Santos:  Hindi kasi unang-una sa bukid ako lumaki.  I was born here in this barangay, 1962.  Pero nung mga limang taon ako dinala ako ng nanay ko sa Mindanao so ibang kultura yung kinagisnan ko, ayun Mindanao.  So malayo.  Hindi ko inisip yung dumating na maging kagawad pa nga ako, hindi ko alam.

No, first and foremost, I grew up in the rice fields.  I was born in this village in 1962 but my mom brought me to Mindanao when I was five.  That was far.  I never thought of becoming a councilor.

Jay-R Patron:  Let’s go back to the MV Super Ferry 14.  Will you narrate to us the story?

Felix Santos:  May konting mga bagay na hindi natin pwede i-tackle dyan pero ang pinaka-short na story niyan, member kami ng Philippine Coastguard Auxiliary.  Ang rangko ay ensign.  Bilang miyembro kami nun tinawagan kami n gaming unit, yung 105^th squadron para magpadala kami ng tao naming dun, kasama ako.  So nag-respond kami dahil kailangan ng tulong, national yun.  So, nag-participate kami, mga trained naman kami na diver.  So dumating kami dun nakita na naming na, actually recovery na lang yun, so aside dun sa ginawa naming pagtulong sa pag-recover ng mga bikitma dun, wala talaga kaming alam kung ano ang pangyayari.  Ginawa naming, pagdating naming dun, nag-report kami tapos binigyan kami ng authority na mag-participate dahil nakita naman yung mga training naming, sa military din naman galling yung training naming.  So nag-participate kami, medyo delikado yung pagda-dive kasi closed yun, malalim, madilim, malangis so talagang binriefing kami ng mabuti.

We’re members of the Philippine coastguard Auxiliary with the rank as ensign.  As members we were called upon by the 105^th squadron to bring volunteers to the scene, including me.  When we got there we reported to our officer.  We were given the authority to participate because our training came from the military.  The dive was dangerous.  It was deep, dark, and murky.  We were briefed thoroughly about the situation.

Jay-R Patron:  So will you consider etong rescue effort na to as the hardest, yung pinaka heart-wrenching kasi as we know maraming namatay dito at aquatic siya eh?

Would you consider that rescue effort as the hardest?

Felix Santos:  Lahat naman pagdating sa diving talagang delikado yan eh.  Lalo na yun, recovery tapos madilim.  You even risk your own life kasi magda-dive ka tapos yung bunker oil nagkalat tapos didikit sa katawan mo, mainit siya, pati yung equipment mo magba-back down, masira sa ilalim yun.  So talagang yung pumasok ka sa ilalim ng barko, dangerous yun.

Everything that relates to diving is dangerous, especially this one.  It was recovery and it was dark.  You risk your life because the bunker oil was spilled and it stuck to your skim, which burned.  The equipment might back down under water.  So diving inside a shipwreck is dangerous.

Jay-R Patron:  According to your bio, maraming awards ka na na-receive.  Dun sa lahat ng awards nay un, ano sa tinging mo yung pinaka-valuable na pinamahagi sayo?

Amongst all the awards that you have received, what to you is the most valuable?

Felix Santos:  Sa tingin ko etong Most Outstanding Pasigueno.  Na-award sa akin yan nuong 2003, I think, humanitarian service.  Ang kalaban natin dun, yung mga pinagpilian, ay mga doctor.  Pero kaya tayo pinalad na bigyan ng award dahil ang tinignan daw nila yun eh sarili kong buhay mismo ang inaalay ko dun sa trabaho. 

I think it’s the Most Outstanding Pasigueno award.  It was awarded to me in 2003 for humanitarian service.  I was chosen between a line of doctors.  I was lucky to have been picked because I think they saw that I risk my life in the line of duty.

Jay-R Patron:  You said na pinaganak ka dito sa Pasig at lumaki ka sa Mindanao, what was your childhood like sa Mindanao?

Felix Santos:  Mahirap.  Ang paglaki dun sa Mindanao, unang-una, magulo yung lugar nuong pagpunta namin at malayo yung eskuwelahan, mahirap yung pamumuhay kaya hindi rin ako nakatapos ng high school.  Mahirap yung pamumuhay dun.  Dumating din yung araw na syempre, wala akong tatay nanay ko lang, mahirap yung wala kang guidance sa parents.  So survival yung nangyari.

Hard.  Mindanao was anarchic when we got there.  School was far.  Life was hard that’s why I didn’t finish high school.  I didn’t have my dad and it was hard not to have parental guidance.  Survival was what happened.

Jay-R Patron:  Sa childhood mo, looking back, ano sa tinging mo yung pinaka-masaya na na-experience mo as a child?

What was your happiest childhood experience?

Felix Santos:  Being na kasama ko nanay ko, masaya ako.  Nung lumaki ako, nakasama ko tatay ko, nagging masaya rin ako.  Wala ako masyadong malalang masaya sa pagka-bata ko kasi trabaho.

When i was with my mom.  When I grew up, I was able to see my dad, that was joyful.  I do not have much fond childhood memories because I was working already then.

Jay-R Patron:  Now you have a family of your own and I believe three children?  Gaano ka important para sa yo yung family?

How important, to you, is family?

Felix Santos:  Yun nga naging bahagi sa aking buhay yung naging example yung buhay ko so pinilit ko na sa ngayon maging buo yung pamilya ko hanggang siguro tumanda ako.  Masaya kaming family.  Malulusog naman yung mga anak.  We’re together until now. 

My experience served as an example so I strived to keep my family intact.  I have a happy family with healthy children.  We’re together until now.

Jay-R Patron:  What has been your greatest life achievement so far?

Felix Santos:  Para sa akin, sa ngayon ang nakikita ko eh yung pagiging masaya ko sa paglilingkod sa barangay, being a public servant.  Nakakatulong tayo dun sa nangangailan ng tulong.  At mapakita natin yung tamang paglilingkod nilang miyembro ng sanggunian ng barangay.  So dito lang, siguro sa akin bilang kagawad, ito yung aking pinagbubutihang trabaho para pagdating ng araw, may maiisip ako na may ginawa ko during the time na ako’y naging.. nanungkulan.  Makikita ko balang araw na kasama ako humimok na gawin ang Ugong na maganda.

To me, it is being happy to be of service to our village, being a public servant.  I am able to help those in need, and to serve as a role model to the village council.  I try to do my duties as a councilor the best I can so that I can look back at something fulfilling that I have done as a servant.  I can look back some day and see myself as someone who has helped Ugong develop.

Jay-R Patron:  Nakikita niyo rin po ba yung sarili niyo na may ibang ginagawa besides what you are doing now as a volunteer, as a kagawad?  Yung bata-bata pa kayo ano yung dream niyo na maging?

Do you see yourself being in a nother profession?  What did you dream of becoming?

Felix Santos:  Before, balak ko talaga sa military service, medyo hindi naman tayo pinalad pero sa ngayon, aside from that teacher ako ng martial arts, taekwondo, karate at arnis.  So dati nuong medyo maliksi-liksi pa, yan ang aking hobby.

I was planning to be in the military but to no luck.   I was an instructor in taekwondo, karate and arnis.  When I was more agile, that was my hobby.

Jay-R Patron:  Ang arnis po ba, marami pa rin ang nagpa-participate?

Are there still a lot of people participating in arnis?

Felix Santos:  May mga ngilan-ngilan, pero nakokornihan na sila sa ngayon.

Only a few.

Jay-R Patron:  Pero yung mga foreigners naman sila yung nahihilig.

But the foreigners are getting in to it.

Felix Santos:  Kultura ng Pilipino yung arnis.

Arnis is a Filipino culture.

Jay-R Patron:  What has been your greatest challenge and paano mo to nalabanan?

What has been your greatest challenge and how did you overcome it?

Felix Santos:  Dito sa larangan ng pulitika, maraming challenge dito, kasi ang problema mo tine-tend mo yung problema ng buong barangay.  Hindi lang isang tao yung papakinabangan naming, marami.  Bilang sa Peace and Order ako naka-assign, challenge yun sa akin yung mapatino mo yung barangay mo, sa kabila ng maraming nagagalit sayo sa pagpapatupad mo ng batas.  Kasi sa tingin mo tama yung ginagawa mo, maraming naiinis.  Dati nung bago pa lang kami maraming nagagalit pag pinapaalis mo yung mga eye sore diyan sa kalsada.  Pag-pinapaalis mo nagagalit sila, pag-pinapaalis mo yung mga nagiinuman sa kalsada nagagalit sila.  Tinuloy-tuloy ko lang, hindi ko na inisip yung magagalit sila sa akin o hindi na ako ieelect.  Eh dumating naman yung araw na napatunayan ko na nahalal pa at hanggang uli, eto na yung last term ko, at nakita ko rin unti-unti yung naging performance ko sa banding huli.  Nagbunga na rin yung pagsisikap natin.

There’s a lot of challenges in politics because you tend to carry the burden of the whole village.  It’s not only one person that we serve, a lot.  Being the ehad of Peace and Order, it’s a challenge for me to discipline the village.  A lot of folks get mad when I impose laws.  When you think what you’re doing is for the common good, a lot of people get irate.  When I was new, a lot of people got mad when I try to rid the streets of eye sores.  When you ask street topers to leave, they get mad.  But I continued with my duties and not thought of displeasing them, or not being reelected.  I eventually saw the fruits of my labor.

Jay-R Patron:  Masasabi niyo ba na yung mga platforms ninyo kahit papaano napapatupad din?  Ano ba yung gusto niyong ipatupad?

Do you think you’re able to enforce your platforms?  What are the laws that you want to impose?

Felix Santos:  Unang-una, mula nung ako ay naging kagawad nuong 1997, hanggang ngayon hindi pa ko napapalitan bilang public servant, so 11 years na.  nagdadagan pa nitong huli nitong disaster management and rescue operation.  So yung peace and order yun ang medyo, guwardiya natin yan.  Maraming problema diyan eh, alam mo naman yun.  Pero sa akin ang isang barangay na maunlad ay tahimik at maayos ang mamamayan.  So yun yung mga napili natin na maging ang barangay natin, tahimik at mapayapa.

I have never been replaced since I became councilor in 1997.  My main duty is to provide peace and order.  To me, a village that is developed is peaceful and orderly.  That’s how I want my village to be.

Jay-R Patron:  Sino nag-influence sa inyo na pumasok sa politika?

Who influenced you to enter politics?

Felix Santos:  Kahit sa dreams ko hindi ka naisip na maging kagawad.  Before ako ay isang taga-bantay ng church, tagabantay ng mga batang nag-aaral dun.  May isang sister dun na nagkamali siya ng tawag sa akin, sabi niya, “Kagawad.”  “Hindi ho ako kagawad, security force ho ako.”  Sabi niya, “Malay mo baling araw maging kagawad ka.”  Hanggang sa nagkaroon ako ng estudyante na doctor, pediatrics siya dito sa amin, at ngayon nasa America na siya.  Isang araw tumawag siya sa akin, “Felix, I have dream.  Para nakita kitang kagawad ka at marami kang magagawa.”  Wala akong hilig sa politika.  Palagi ko ngang sinasabi na hindi ako tapos ng high school, dib a?  Second year high school lang ako.   Sabi niya, ‘Hindi mokailangan nun.  Ang important marunong kang bumasa, meron kang puso para sa barangay mo, at marunong kang mag-aral’.  Sabi ko, “Doc, hindi ko alam.”  “Hindi, i-try natin.”  Very prayerful yung aking kaibigan na yan so the next day tumawag siya ulit.  Sabi niya, “Sinagot ng panginoon yung tinanong mo sa kanya.”  Ako naman wala masyadong alam sa word na ganyan.  Sabi ko, “Paano niya kaya nakakausap ang diyos.”  Sumagot siya though bible, “Ituloy mo.  Kung may puso ka, pwede kang maglingkod at ipakita mo yung mga magagawa mo.”  So sabi ko, “Subukan natin, malay natin.”  At that time bodyguard ako nung isang politico rin.  Nakita-kita ko na rin yung tungkol sa politics pero hindi ko pa rin alam kung saan ako pupunta.  Nung nagkaroon ng election sinubukan naming at nanalo naman kami nung 1997, pang-anim ako.  Nung nanalo ako, hindi ako makapaniwala kasi wala nga akong alam sa politics. 

I had never thought of becoming a councilor, not even in my dreams.  I used to guard a church and the students there.  There was a sister who mistakenly called me, “councilor!”  “I’m not a councilor, I provide security here.”  She said, “You don’t know, maybe one day you’ll become a councilor.”  I had a student who was in pediatric here.  He called me one night and said, “Felix, I had a dream.  I thought I saw you becoming a councilor and you did a lot of things in this village.”  I didn’t fancy politics.  I always said that I didn’t finish high school, right?  I only finished second year high.  But he said, “You don’t need that.  What’s important is that you know how to read, you have the heart to serve, and you are willing to learn.”  So I tried.  At that time I was a bodyguard for a politician where I learned the ins and outs of politics but I still did not know what road to take.  When elections took place in 1997, I ran and placed sixth.  I could never believe that I won because I didn’t know anything about politics.

Jay-R Patron:  Nung time na yun, parang iniisip niyo na lang na, “Eto yun peace and order, eto yung nakikita kong mali dito, eto ang gagawin ko…”

At that time, you saw the issues on peace and order and what’s needed to be done…

Felix Santos:  Nung umpisa, bilang peace and order chairman, wala nang iba.  Pero nung lumaon, nagkaroon ng pagmi-meeting diyan, lumaki yung ating industriya.  May tulay na dumarating, dun ako nagkaroon ng vision, dun sa flyovers.  Sabi ko, “Darating ang araw na mabilis na mga saskyan diyan.  Bibilis yan.  Marami ang madidisgrasya.”  So ano gagawin ko bilang ako ay nandito?  Aside from helping people dito sa barangay natin, paano yung mga nasa labas na dumadaan sa barangay natin?  Kailangan din natin tulungan yung mga andun.  So ayun, nag-train kami, dalawa lang kami—first aid sa red cross—paunang training lang.  Tapos nung lumaon, pumunta kami sa ibang agency, nakipag-interact ako sa kanila, ibang klaseng rescue naman.  Hanggang sa dumating yung araw sa underwater search rescue naman.  Hanggang sa lumaon lumawak na yung pag-aaral naming, hanggang naka-engganyo na tyo nang mga tao nung makita nila na naging effective naman pala sa bandang huli yung pag-uusap naming na dalawa lang kami sa umpisa, hanggang meron ng volunteers na gusto na rin nilang maglingkod.

In the beginning, that’s all I knew.  Overtime, the industry grew.  Infrastructure was developed.  Flyovers and bridges were built and I had a vision.  I said, “There will come a day when vehicles will travel along C5 at very high speeds.  There may be a lot of accidents.”  So what would I do being in this position?  Aside from helping people from this village, what about  those outside who pass by the village?  We also need to help them.  So from there, we trained—only two of us then.  Basic training in first aid at red cross.  Then we went to other agencies eventually and gathered training in other areas until we had under water rescue training.  This encouraged others to join when they saw that the trainings we undertook were effective.

Jay-R Patron:  Ilang ho kayong lahat dito sa team?

How many volunteers are there in your unit?

Felix Santos:  Meron akong gamit na walo, tapos meron akong volunteer, dati 15 ngayon naging 10 nalang dahil yung iba may trabaho.  Nag-apply sa iba na mas mataas ang kita, hindi natin pipigilin kasi syempre kailangan ng greener pasture.

I have eight paid staff and 10 volunteers.  There were 15 of them before but some of them moved to other careers.

Jay-R Patron:  Kayo lang bas a buong Pasig ang may rescue unit?

Are you the only ones in Pasig with a rescue unit?

Felix Santos:  In fairness naman dun sa ibang barangay meron naman silang mga fire brigade, meron din silang mga volunteers.  Pero more on fire lang sila.  Meron silang maliliit na fire truck na binigay ng ating Mayor Enteng Eusebio at that time.  Yung proyekto nila nuon na magkaroon ng fire truck ang bawat barangay.  So duon nag-start ang kanilang mga volunteers.  Karamihan ng barangay sa Pasig eh may maliliit na fire truck, pang eskenita.  Kakaiba naman yung sa Ugong dahil dito , kung yun inaadress namin ay vehicular accident, I have to purchase rescue equipment, mga hydraulic tools na nanggagaling pa sa ibang bansa.  So pinag-aralan ko through the internet, ano ba ang mga nagiging aksidente at paano bang training ang kailangan dito?  Nakipag-usap ako sa Special forces ng Philippine Army.  Humingi ako ng tulong sa kanila upang maturuan kami ng vehicular accident extrication.  So dun kami natuto, hanggang lumago na lang kami dito na sa patuloy na pagtulong sa tao.  Nag-aaral din kami ng personal.  Ang mga ibang barangay, more on fire sila, mahal din kasi ang equipment sa vehicular accident extrication.  Yung city natin sa Pasig, marami sila, meron silang rescue van na punong-puno ng kagamitan.  Handa naman sila rumisponde in any vehicular accident at kalamidad.  Ang inaaddress nila, dahil malaki silang rescue unit eh siguro pang malakihan na event na, tsaka malaki ang truck nila so sa tingin ko talagang handa sa malaking kalamidad. 

To be fair to the other villages, they have fire brigades, they also have volunteers.  But they focus on fire emergencies.  They have small fire trucks given by former mayor Enteng Eusebio.  His project then was for all villages in Pasig to have fire trucks.  Ugong is quite different because it’s mainly rescue here.  Because we address vehicular accidents, I have to purchase rescue equipment, hydraulic tools that came from abroad.  I studied through the internet the main causes and types of accidents and their corresponding training requirements.  I talked to the Special Forces of the Philippine Army.  I asked for their help with training on vehicular accident extrication.  That’s how we learned, until our knowledge and experience in helping others became vast.  We also studied on a personal basis.  The Pasig city government they have their own rescue van with all sorts of equipment.  They’re ready to respond to emergencies any time.  They address, being a large unit, more serious and big situations.  They have a big truck so I think they’re ready for big calamities.

Jay-R Patron:  In a given week, ano yung average number of rescues na nagagawa niyo?

What’s your average number of rescues in a given week?

Felix Santos:  Hindi kami nazi-zero sa isang linggo eh.

We never get to zero in one week.

Jay-R Patron:  So palaging meron talaga?

So there are emergencies all the time?

Felix Santos:  Palaging meron talaga.  Alam mo motorcycle ang karamihan.

Always, and most of the time it involves motorcycles.

Jay-R Patron:  Ano yung nakikita niyong dahilan kung bakit maraming motorcycle accidents?

What do you think is the main cause of motorcycle accidents?

Felix Santos:  C5 is a good highway.  Magandang daan yan, diretso, malinis, maliwanag.  So wala akong tingin na sira yung engineering.  Nakaka-tempt talaga pagdating ng alas-dose ng gabi kasi para siyang runway—ang bilis ng takbo mo tapos gimikan nandito.  So iinom diba?  Ang mga motorsiklo madali lang tumumba yan eh.  Konting bato lang sa kalsada pwede kang mag-tihaya.  Ang nakikita ko na karamihan ng naaksidente eh yung naka-inom ng alak, tapos motorsiklo, tapos naklita ko rin yung binabago nila yung manibela, yung nililiitan yung buka.  Ang hirap ng pagmamaneho nun.  Basta more on motorsiklo an gaming nire-rescue.  Meron din mga vehicular accident na malalala, yung mga bangga talaga na merong naiipit kung saan kailangan natin yung hydraulic tools para matanggal mo yung biktima.

C5 is a good highway, well-paved, straight, clean and well-lit.  I don’t think there is anything wrong with it engineering-wise.  It’s really tempting to ride fast because it feels like a runway on late hours.  Motorcycles are easy to slide with just a tiny debris on the road.  What I see are the elements of road accidents in C5 are drunk-riding, motorcycles, and customized handle bars.  It’s hard to ride with that.  We also have automobile accidents that are serious—crashes that involve people getting trapped where we need hydraulic tools to get the victims out.

Jay-R Patron:  Ano yung ma-advise niyo sa kabataan kung paano nila makita yung passion and purpose?

What would you advise the youth on how to find their passion and purpose?

Felix Santos:  Sa tingin ko sa tingin nila kung ano yung maganda nilang gawin, tignan nila kung saan sila may specialty, hanapin nila yun.  Kung mapupunta sila sa rescue, isipin nila kung ano yung masarap na gawin sa rescue, tapos i-cultivate na lang pag andun na sila.  Ang importante kasi masaya ka sa ginagawa mo.  Yung ang baraha naming dito.  Pag hindi ka na masaya sa ginagawa mo, paano ka pa tatagal?  Kaya siguro kami tumagal sa trabaho naming na ito eh kasi masaya ka, nakakatulong ka sa kapwa mo.

Find what they love doing, and what they are good at.  If they get into rescue, think about what aspect of rescue then cultivate that.  What’s important is that you are happy with what you do.  That’s how we play our cards here.  If you’re not happy with what you do, how can you possibly stay there for long?  We probably have been here for so long because we love what we do, we are able to help our neighbors.

Jay-R Patron:  Ano naman yung sasabihin niyo dun sa mga taong gusting mag-volunteer, paano?

How can people volunteer?

Felix Santos:  Nasa kanila yun kung willing talaga sila, magsabi lang sila dun sa rescue unit na malapit sa kanila.  Magsabi lang sila nang kanilang willingness na mag-join at sabihin nila na papailalim sila sa rules and regulations dun.  Any group naman may rules and regulation.  Then magsa-submit sila sa training.  Kailangan nating i-train sila bago sila pakawalan, so dadaan sila sa probationary period.

It’s up to them if they are willing, just approach their village’s rescue unit and inform them of their interest.  Prospective volunteers must be willing to undergo training and subject to rules and regulations.  Every group has rules and regulations.  We need to train them, so they undergo a probationary period, before the actual rescue.

Jay-R Patron:  If there was one message that you would like to tell the public, our readers, what would that message? 

Felix Santos:  Since we’re attending to rescue operations, sa akin na lang, dun sa mga motorista talagang maingat tayo dahil napaka-halaga ng buhay natin.  Maganda yung makaka-uwi pa rin tayo dun sa mga naghihintay sa atin.  Mahirap yung aalis tapos di natin alam kung makakabalik pa.  Sa akin, pagdating sa pagbabiyahe, mag-ingat tayo.

To the motorists, try to stay safe.  Life is important.  It’s good that you get to go home to those waiting for you.  When it comes to every travel, always be careful.