ANGELES CITY, Pampanga — What responders hoped would be a survivor detected by life-sensing devices turned out to be the only living thing pulled from the rubble on Day 12: a live chicken.
Authorities reported Friday that the bird was found at 8:58 a.m. yesterday amid the debris and is believed to belong to one of the workers affected by the tragedy.
Fire Superintendent Maria Leah Sejili, spokesperson for the Bureau of Fire Protection, said the bird was most likely the source of the signals picked up by life-detection equipment over the past few days, which had raised hopes that a survivor was still trapped underneath.
“Although it was not the rescue everyone was hoping for, this rare find gave the responders a brief, light moment amid the grim and grueling work we face every day at the site,” Sejili stated.
Last May 28, responders also rescued an unharmed dog from the rubble, believed to be the foreman’s pet. It has been safely transferred to the Angeles City Dog Pound and Animal Shelter Compound.
No human survivors or additional casualties were recorded on Thursday. The confirmed death toll remains at 27, following the retrieval of two more victims — Casualty No. 26 at 6:38 p.m. and Casualty No. 27 at 6:49 p.m. — late Wednesday. Both remain unidentified as they undergo standard processing and identification procedures.
Even as operations stretch into their 13th day, community support continues to sustain ground teams. The city government conveyed its appreciation to Barangay Balibago Captain Joseph “PG” Ponce for donating food supplies to personnel deployed at the collapse site.
"These contributions significantly lifted the morale of our teams working round-the-clock to clear debris and account for all individuals affected by the incident," Mayor Carmelo 'Jon' Lazatin II stated.
He said the Unified Command remains committed to the continuous clearing and retrieval work, even as rains make the site wet, slippery, and more challenging for responders.
