Houseworker among those missing in capsized RP ferry

One of the hundreds missing from a ferry that capsized June 22 in the Philippines is a long-time Filipino houseworker of a Commonwealth Utilities Corp. officer and her family.

CUC’s budget and fiscal officer Betty Terlaje confirmed with Saipan Tribune yesterday that Editha Ybañez was among those declared missing.

Terlaje said Ybañez has been with her family for 11 years now.

“This is really hard for me to talk about it. She’s like a family. She’s definitely a family member. She is a very kindhearted woman,” she said.

Terlaje said Ybañez took care of her two children—ages seven and two—like her own. “She’s very bonded with my kids. She’s more than a babysitter. She’s like their mom when I’m away from home,” the CUC official said.

“The tragedy has been really hard for my whole family. My whole family was in big shock. Everybody came together and we’re offering Mass for her,” Terlaje said.

Ybañez left June 17 for a vacation in her hometown in Surigao, located in the southern part of the Philippines. She was supposed to come back July 18.

Terlaje said Ybañez first returned to the Philippines in the mid-’90s when her [Terlaje’s] grandmother passed away. At that time, Ybañez stayed for five to six years.

Terlaje said when she moved here from the U.S. mainland and started her own family, she contacted Ybañez in the Philippines to help her with her children.

Ybañez happily accepted her offer. She arrived on Saipan in January 2004. Her June trip was supposed to be her first vacation in the Philippines after four years.

“I must say that she, just like many other houseworkers, has made our lives easier. My husband and I are forever grateful for her sacrifice being away from her home and her family and most especially for the love and care she unconditionally gave our children and our whole family,” said Terlaje.

She learned about the accident only last Sunday afternoon when Ybañez’s cousin here informed the family.

Terlaje said they learned that Ybañez was supposed to ride a plane, but apparently her cousin purchased ferry tickets for both of them.

The cousin, who survived, stated they both jumped from the ferry. Ybañez reportedly hit her back on the steel railings.

Terlaje said the Ybañez’s family had contacted her if she has any fingerprints of Ybañez on file to assist them in identifying her remains because many of the bodies recovered were already decomposing.

Terlaje said she found a police clearance of Ybañez issued by the Pasig City police containing her fingerprints. She said she sent the document to the Philippines on Tuesday.

“We’re hoping at this point that that would help the situation,” she added.