12 teachers rescued after Mindoro bridge collapses

Twelve teachers from Naswak Hatubuan Bangon Elementary School were rescued after a sudden rise in the Bongabong River destroyed a bamboo bridge serving as their main access route in Sitio Naswak, Barangay Lisap, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro, on 20 August.

The teachers became stranded after the river swelled and the bridge connecting the sitio to the main community collapsed.

A barangay official reported the incident, prompting the Bongabong Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to coordinate with police and other emergency agencies for the rescue.

Personnel from the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company of the Oriental Mindoro Police Provincial Office, 10th Special Action Battalion of the Special Action Force, Bureau of Fire Protection-Bongabong and the MDRRMO Rescue Division were deployed to the area.

All 12 teachers were safely evacuated with no reported injuries.

They were brought to the MDRRMO Operations Center in Barangay Sagana, Bongabong, where they were provided assistance.

The rescue came amid continuing rains in parts of Oriental Mindoro that caused waterways to swell and damaged access routes.