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MANILA -- A three-year-old boy was found dead a day after he fell into a sewer in Barangay 176 in North Caloocan City.

According to the boy's mother, her children were playing in the rain Saturday afternoon. She kept watch on her children but she had to return home quickly.

She also told her other children to take care of her youngest son before she left.

The accident happened while she was away.

"Halos katatalikod ko lang po. Nakabantay po ako sa kanila talaga habang naliligo sila, sumaglit lang po ako umuwi sa bahay," she said.

"Sabi ko sa panganay ko bantayan niya muna, sasaglit lang ako sa bahay. Saglit lang po, wala pa, wala pa, hindi ko alam ... Basta saglit lang, pabalik na ako. Tumatakbo na yung 3 kong maliliit, nadulas nga daw po yung bunso," she added.

The boy's father was at work when the incident happened. He did not know how to react upon learning about what happened to his son.

"Hindi na ako nag-react kasi gusto ko nga makita agad, kasi ayun ang bunso ko eh. Kaya naghagilap na lang ako, hindi ako umano agad. Gustohin ko man umiyak, wala rin mangyayari. Kaya naghagilap na lang ako, yun ang inaano ko. May nakakita raw na bata diyan na may nalaglag nga raw na bata eh," he said.

"Yung problema nga may humila kasi nga lang tinangay na nga raw ng agos hindi na nga na ano. Oo butas, may manhole po diyan. Malaki, malaki po yung manhole na yan," he said.

Residents started digging at around 4 p.m. Saturday. They also helped in the rescue operations to look for the child.

The asphalt and cement in the road was thick, and a jackhammer was needed to make a hole in the road. A siphon was used to suck the water out of the sewer.

The child’s mom was still in disbelief at the seemingly slow response of the local government towards the incident.

"Wala pa pong binibigay na tulong, kahapon pa kami humihingi ng tulong... Wala po kahit pulis ngayon dito, umalis po sila agad," she said.

The barangay responded but said it did not have the necessary equipment to destroy the road and asked help from the Caloocan LGU.

Barangay 176 Kagawad Nol Quilingen said they had to wait for the city government to send the equipment needed for the rescue.

"Sobrang kapal nung kalsada. Wala ho kaming equipment dito sa barangay para ma-giba po namin. Rumequest po kami sa local government na kung kailangan magpadala ngayon mismo nung jackhammer para mabasag yung semento at mahukay yung backhoe," he said.

The backhoe arrived on site 10 a.m. Sunday.

Dr. James Lao, Caloocan Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office chief, denied the slow response of the LGU.

He also said they cannot just use a jackhammer immediately because they had to look for the child first.

He added the rescuers also had to take a break after searching for 10 hours because the situation is also dangerous for them.

"Kung bibilangin natin yung oras is from around 3 something or 4, sabihin nating 4. Kung umabot na sila ng 2 a.m., more than 10 hours na sila nagse-search doon sa area. So nag-decide sila by 2 a.m., pull out muna tayo since madilim na rin, pagod na din lahat. Medyo delikado na rin kung madilim tapos bumaba po sila eh," Lao explained.

Aside from the barangay, the Bureau of Fire Protection, DRRMO and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority also helped out in the search for the missing boy.

At 2:45 p.m. Sunday, the boy’s lifeless body was found full of wounds at the boundary of Marilao-Caloocan River.

For Dr. Ted Esguerra, Emergency Management Consultant of the Energy Development Corporation, it is important to immediately pull out anyone who falls into a sewer so the victim will not drown and inhale dangerous gases like methane, carbon dioxide at ammonia, nitrogen sulfide, and nitrous oxide.

A flashlight should not also be brought down because it can explode when mixed with methane. Those without experience should not also enter the sewer.

Calling rescue teams is also a must. They should be properly informed about the emergency, as well as the time, the hazard, the address, number of victims and the emergency services needed.