Home | To bottom

Scientist killed in crash comes home a “hero”

URDANETA CITY (May 27) — The ashes of Dr. Jessie Daligdig, one of the scientists and researchers killed in a helicopter crash in Nueva Ecija last month including Philippine National Red Cross (PNR) governor Raymundo Punongbayan, were brought in his hometown where friends and families paid tribute to his ‘heroic deeds’ on Saturday.

Remains of the seven passengers aboard the ill-fated UH-H1 Huey helicopter crash on April 28, were identified on Monday last week through DNA-analysis conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Colleagues and families had earlier eulogized Punongbayan and his staff in a wake held at the Phivolcs (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology) office in Quezon City on Thursday. Daligdig’s family brought the urn that contained his ashes here on Friday at 3 p.m. for a two-day wake tendered by his batch mates at the Urdaneta City National High School (UCNHS).

Daligdig, who joined Phivolcs in 1991, Punongbayan, three other scientist and staff of Philvolcs, two PAF pilots and two soldiers, were on their way back from an aerial assessment of a renewed potential danger of landslides in Dingalan, Aurora when the chopper crashed in Mt. Namat, Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija.

Bad weather and pilot’s unfamiliarity with the terrain were pointed as causes for the crash.

A hero’s welcome

Jessie or ‘Lakay’ as he was fondly called by those close to him belongs to batch 1977 graduates of UCNHS, then Urdaneta Community High School.

Mrs. Rosenda Salazar, batch president said, “Not only we, his batch mates, had lost a friend. All those faceless people, who depended so much on persons like Jessie who devoted their lives to securing the people by predicting disasters, also lost a scientist. The school’s website was flooded with messages of praise and condolences, Salazar said.

Daligdig, who started his career as geologist by mapping out the 1965-1977 eruption deposits at Taal Volcano, was remembered as “down to earth and at times temperamental during high school days”.

Mrs. Concepcion Maminta, Daligdig’s Algebra teacher recalled the former student as “one who didn’t pay so much attention in class but gave accurate answers when all his classmates had ran out of”.

Councilor Jennylin Sison hailed Daligdig’s endeavors in public service which the local government must give due recognition of. Sison hopes that the matter will be taken in the city council’s regular session this Monday.

Farewell Jessie

Daligdig, the youngest among 5 siblings who grew up in 23 Perez St. here, attended the batch reunion in Lingayen last month, his first and last according to former classmates.

In an eulogy, his family expressed thanks for the ”unknown stories told in phone calls and text messages which made up the pieces of the noble life Jessie spent”.

Amor, his wife, said she was relieved when Phivolcs chief Renato Solidum sent her a text message on Monday confirming that his husband’s remains were already identified. “I felt relieved but saddened at the same time because his death had finally come to reality.” Asked what traits of the demised fault line-expert she will miss, she said “Sobrang talino niya, lagi niya akong pinipikon. He keeps telling me that I was so gullible”.

Adriel, 14, his youngest, thanked his father “for the gift of life”. He said the family was overwhelmed with praises from people who had known Daligdig’s achievements.

Daligdig, 43, will be given a post humous award by the UCNHS Alumni Association in November. His ashes were taken back to Sta. Rosa, Laguna on Sunday afternoon and would stay at the family residence.

Aside from Daligdig and Punongbayan, five other remains were identified as geology division chief Dr. Norman Tungol, science researchers Dindo Javier and Orlando Abengoza, co-pilot 1st Lt. Jason Salazar and S/Sgt. Edgar Ramolete. # Jhong dela Cruz for NORDIS

Home | Back to top