Bird's nest harvester dies in El Nido cave accident

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — Rescuers found the lifeless body of busyador or bird's nest gatherer Ismeraldo Daquer, 57, who tragically plummeted to his death in a cave on Tapiutan Island, Barangay Bebeladan, El Nido, Palawan, on Tuesday, after an arduous 24-hour rescue mission.

A report from the El Nido Fire Station (ENFS) released on Friday, 7 June, stated that Daquer was a local from Brgy. Aberawan who was engaged in harvesting swiftlet nests—a dangerous yet traditional livelihood in the town valued for its contribution to the luxurious bird's nest soup—when the fatal accident occurred.

The ENFS said the challenging retrieval effort was performed with the El Nido Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). They set out for Tapiutan Island at 9:41 p.m. on Tuesday (4 June) and reached the accident site by 12:36 a.m. Wednesday (5 June).

"The cave’s steep and jagged terrain made it difficult to access and navigate," noted the ENFS report. It added that there is a high risk of falls, rockslides, and other accidents, which necessitates extra caution from rescuers.

Despite these hurdles, Daquer's body was successfully recovered from the cave by 3:13 p.m. on Wednesday and was transported via speedboat to Brgy. Buena Suerte in El Nido, where it was formally handed over to the El Nido MDRRMO around 10:30 p.m.

The ENFS said the incident highlights the inherent perils of swiftlet nest harvesting, a crucial economic endeavor for numerous residents, yet one that entails substantial hazards due to the treacherous settings involved.