Helicopter down.
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Philippine Star
Whenever I see news about a helicopter crash, I get really really shaken. I'm sure a lot of you do too. But I seriously get weak in the knees, have to sit down and compose myself. Even chopper crash scenes in movies like Black Hawk Down get me really upset.
The reason is not because I have a fear of flying. It's because my dad is a helicopter pilot. A military pilot. I grew up in an air base. And I've seen too many funerals of fallen pilots and air crew. I've had a few pilot titos who've crashed. I've seen neighbours having to move out of the air base because their dad died in a crash. One of my ballet classmates in the base stopped going to class because they had to move out. It was a harsh reality. We were just kids.
I remember the Fokker plane that crashed in the 70's, so many people died. There was a mass funeral at the Air Force gymnasium. As a child, my parents didn't expose us to funerals. But the scene was too big that all the neighbourhood kids biked around the gym to see the over 30 coffins laid out.
The chopper crash that left the biggest impression on me was during the early eighties. The pilots were Col Celis and Major Madela. Both my dad's colleagues in the Presidential Wing. Our former driver, Lt Eddie Mateo, was on board that chopper. My dad could have been flying that day, but he got diverted to do something else. I remember the rescue stories - the images in the news, the look of distraught in my father's face. You know that scene in military movies when a higher official or colleague drives up and approaches the door of the other pilot's wife? She'd already know its bad news just from the fact that an officer in full uniform was visiting her house. My dad had to do that a few times.
My brother and I, with fellow-air force brats, Ricky and Roxanne.
I was aware of mortality at a very young age. Everyday my dad put on his flight suit, though he looked so handsome and dashing, I'm sure my mom's heart would be skipping a beat until she saw him walk in through our front door again. I was so afraid of losing my dad. But he made me believe that he was the best pilot in the world and that no matter how bad things could get, he'd be able to land his chopper well. He promised us that his chopper would never fall from the sky. I believed him. After all, he's already survived a chopper crash from his younger years.
My dad's presidential chopper crashed in the 1960s. 10 miles off Bohol. It crashed into the water. They all survived.
My dad was and still is the calming voice in my life. When he says everything will be okay, I believe him. It was a glamorous life for him. He was President Marcos' pilot. His choppers were top of the line and brand new in the 70's and 80's. Times were so good then. But we were always aware of this dark shadow looming over us. Turns out we are one of the lucky air force families. My dad always came home after each flight.
Today (Wednesday), we were all shaken again by similar news. Eight people died on board a presidential chopper - a Bell 412 - on its way from Baguio to Banaue. Big government people died, mostly from the Presidential Management Staff. This will be in the news for a week. I can't sleep. Im thinking of the families of the pilots and air crew. Their dad put on his flight suit early in the morning and kissed them while they were still asleep. They waited for their dad to come home...
Please say a prayer for the souls of:
Press Undersecretary Jose Capadocia
Brig. Gen. Carlos Clet, presidential military aide
Malou Frostrom, Undersecretary for Presidential Engagements and Appointments
Teresita Bandayunan, Presidential Management Staff assistant director
Demy Reno, Navy Petty Officer 1
Air Force Staff Sergeant Roe Gem Perez.
Maj. Rolando Sacatani, Pilot
Capt. Alvin Aligata, Co-Pilot
The Bell 412 took off from Loakan airport in Baguio. It got me thinking. I once rode the "new" presidential chopper during Ramos' time over 10 years ago. Not the ones my dad few in the 80's (which were also new then). I was a junior reporter assigned in Malacanang by ABS-CBN/Studio 23. It was my turn to be part of the Presidential coverage/entourage. We flew to Baguio and Pangasinan. Landed and took off on that same Loakan airport. So I dug up my photos....
Saw the fleet of choppers.
The one closest to the foreground was the one I rode.
I checked the license number - RP 1946. It was the exact same helicopter that crashed.
.
Philippine Star
Whenever I see news about a helicopter crash, I get really really shaken. I'm sure a lot of you do too. But I seriously get weak in the knees, have to sit down and compose myself. Even chopper crash scenes in movies like Black Hawk Down get me really upset.
The reason is not because I have a fear of flying. It's because my dad is a helicopter pilot. A military pilot. I grew up in an air base. And I've seen too many funerals of fallen pilots and air crew. I've had a few pilot titos who've crashed. I've seen neighbours having to move out of the air base because their dad died in a crash. One of my ballet classmates in the base stopped going to class because they had to move out. It was a harsh reality. We were just kids.
I remember the Fokker plane that crashed in the 70's, so many people died. There was a mass funeral at the Air Force gymnasium. As a child, my parents didn't expose us to funerals. But the scene was too big that all the neighbourhood kids biked around the gym to see the over 30 coffins laid out.
The chopper crash that left the biggest impression on me was during the early eighties. The pilots were Col Celis and Major Madela. Both my dad's colleagues in the Presidential Wing. Our former driver, Lt Eddie Mateo, was on board that chopper. My dad could have been flying that day, but he got diverted to do something else. I remember the rescue stories - the images in the news, the look of distraught in my father's face. You know that scene in military movies when a higher official or colleague drives up and approaches the door of the other pilot's wife? She'd already know its bad news just from the fact that an officer in full uniform was visiting her house. My dad had to do that a few times.
My brother and I, with fellow-air force brats, Ricky and Roxanne.
I was aware of mortality at a very young age. Everyday my dad put on his flight suit, though he looked so handsome and dashing, I'm sure my mom's heart would be skipping a beat until she saw him walk in through our front door again. I was so afraid of losing my dad. But he made me believe that he was the best pilot in the world and that no matter how bad things could get, he'd be able to land his chopper well. He promised us that his chopper would never fall from the sky. I believed him. After all, he's already survived a chopper crash from his younger years.
My dad's presidential chopper crashed in the 1960s. 10 miles off Bohol. It crashed into the water. They all survived.
My dad was and still is the calming voice in my life. When he says everything will be okay, I believe him. It was a glamorous life for him. He was President Marcos' pilot. His choppers were top of the line and brand new in the 70's and 80's. Times were so good then. But we were always aware of this dark shadow looming over us. Turns out we are one of the lucky air force families. My dad always came home after each flight.
Today (Wednesday), we were all shaken again by similar news. Eight people died on board a presidential chopper - a Bell 412 - on its way from Baguio to Banaue. Big government people died, mostly from the Presidential Management Staff. This will be in the news for a week. I can't sleep. Im thinking of the families of the pilots and air crew. Their dad put on his flight suit early in the morning and kissed them while they were still asleep. They waited for their dad to come home...
Please say a prayer for the souls of:
Press Undersecretary Jose Capadocia
Brig. Gen. Carlos Clet, presidential military aide
Malou Frostrom, Undersecretary for Presidential Engagements and Appointments
Teresita Bandayunan, Presidential Management Staff assistant director
Demy Reno, Navy Petty Officer 1
Air Force Staff Sergeant Roe Gem Perez.
Maj. Rolando Sacatani, Pilot
Capt. Alvin Aligata, Co-Pilot
The Bell 412 took off from Loakan airport in Baguio. It got me thinking. I once rode the "new" presidential chopper during Ramos' time over 10 years ago. Not the ones my dad few in the 80's (which were also new then). I was a junior reporter assigned in Malacanang by ABS-CBN/Studio 23. It was my turn to be part of the Presidential coverage/entourage. We flew to Baguio and Pangasinan. Landed and took off on that same Loakan airport. So I dug up my photos....
Saw the fleet of choppers.
The one closest to the foreground was the one I rode.
I checked the license number - RP 1946. It was the exact same helicopter that crashed.
.