Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

What was once a quiet Tuesday night on Gibitngil Island in Medellin, Cebu, turned into a night of horror for fisherman Wilson Pilones, who woke up to the violent shaking of the ground.He quickly rushed to get his family out of their house, which was located near the shoreline, and went to check on their boat.But amid the chaos, one sound pulled his attention—the cry of his four-month-old granddaughter, Briana Grace.“Tay-og, tay-og naman! Hala ba! Gisiyagit sa akon asawa, ‘Bai, linog, Bai! Gawas namu.’ Akon ginbira akon mga bata. Wa koy panumdom siya, ma’am, nga siya pay naa sa ubos. Lili ko pabalik sa ubos. Kita ko pumpboat kay ni pundo man. Wa koy kapanumdom nga sila di kay naa sa ubos,” Wilson told ABS-CBN News in an interview.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/10/5/dswd-160-000-food-packs-given-to-quake-hit-areas-in-cebu-province-1843">DSWD: 160,000 food packs given to quake-hit areas in Cebu province </a> </div>(“’Umuuga, umuuga na! Hala!’ sigaw ng asawa ko. ‘Bai! Lindol, Bai? Lumabas na kayo!’ Hinila ko mga anak ko. Hindi ko siya [Marwen] naalala, ma’am, na nasa baba pa siya. Sinilip ko ulit sa baba, nakita ko ang pumpboat dahil nakadaong lang. Hindi ko naalala na nasa baba sila.”)“Lupad ko sa ubos. Pangita nako sila. ‘Dong, asa mo dapit?’ Wa gid tingog. Naa may bata tiyabaw. Mao to gipangita ko sila. Nag-ukay nako. Tuyok akong silingan nga tabangan ko nila ug pangita.”(Tumalon ako sa baba. Hinanap ko sila. ‘Dong, nasaan kayo?’ Walang nagsalita. May batang umiiyak, kaya hinanap ko sila. Hinukay ko. Nag-ikot ang mga kapitbahay para tulungan nila ako sa paghahanap.”)Just a few meters from his home was the house of his eldest son, 26-year-old Marwen.But when Wilson looked toward it, all he saw was devastation—a huge rock had rolled down the hill during the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck the province, crushing the entire house beneath it.With trembling and bare hands, he and his neighbors dug through the rubble, praying for a miracle.“Ginoo, tabangi ko nga makawot ko akon anak. Ako lagi gibalhin ang bato,” Wilson recalled, fighting back tears. “Akon kaykay gid silag maayo maski sigig katay-og ang yuta. Sige kong kaykay sa ila para maluwas. Naluwas gid nako sila pero wala nay kabuhi.” <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/10/3/cebu-quake-leaves-p3-billion-infrastructure-damage-local-gov-t-1113">Cebu quake leaves P3-billion infrastructure damage: local gov&#x27;t</a></div>(“’Panginoon, tulungan moa ko na mahukay ko ang aking anak.’ Inilipat ko ang bato. Hinukay ko kahit na umuuga ang lupa. Hinukay ko para mailigtas ko sana sila, pero wala nang buhay.”)He went on, “Masakit kaayo nahitabo sa ilaha. Sa isa lang ka higayon, bata pa kaayo siya, gikuha siya sa Ginoo. Murag sakit jud, ma’am.”(“Masakit ang nangyari sa kanila. Sa isang iglap lang, bata pa siya, kinuha na siya ng Panginoon.”)When they were finally found, all three—Marwen, his wife Katherine, and their six-year-old son Jacob—were lifeless.Only little Briana Grace survived, a tiny miracle amid the ruins.Now, the infant is under the care of her grandparents.“Kaluy-a sa Ginoo, nakasurvive ang bata, ma’am. Milagrohan gid siya sa Ginoo,” Wilson said. (Sa awa ng Panginoon, nakasurvive ang bata, ma’am. Milagro siya ng Panginoon.”)Before the tragedy, Wilson said Jacob had been drawing pictures of their family, including one with Briana Grace with wings like those of an angel.In another drawing, their home stood beside the sea and large rocks.Last Friday, the people of Gibitngil Island gathered to lay Marwen, Katherine, and Jacob to rest—three lives lost in an instant, and one fragile life spared.

What was once a quiet Tuesday night on Gibitngil Island in Medellin, Cebu, turned into a night of horror for fisherman Wilson Pilones, who woke up to the violent shaking of the ground.

What was once a quiet Tuesday night on Gibitngil Island in Medellin, Cebu, turned into a night of horror for fisherman Wilson Pilones, who woke up to the violent shaking of the ground.

'Milagro si Briana Grace’: Baby survives quake that killed parents, brother in Cebu

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'Milagro si Briana Grace’: Baby survives quake that killed parents, brother in Cebu

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 05, 2025 09:22 PM PHT

Read More:

Cebu

earthquake

Gibitngil Island

miracle

baby

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