Cruisin'

By Rolo B. Cena
Hushed Poppies
Dumaguete Star Informer
8 April 2012

Cebu, Philippines - About ten years ago, I retired from the Country’s top government-owned-and-controlled shipping corporation where I spent more than ten years. This year, after my sojourn from my Middle East adventure, I luckily joined another shipping company; this time, it’s privately owned and with almost the same compensation package as I had overseas.

As part of my job orientation, I had to undergo an immersion trip via one of the company’s cargo ships. From the port of the “Queen City” of the south, I had to sail to Cagayan to meet the branch staff and to get familiar with the operations. From Cagayan, I had to enplane to Manila for the same objective.

Fifteen minutes past six, I took pride in boarding the steel-hulled carrier that holds tons of assorted cargos. The apprentice ushered me to the messroom while waiting for the master. He reminded me of the associate who ushered detained former Comelec Chair Benjamin Abalos to a meeting with ZTE officials that led to the hospital arrest of the petite lady he unwittingly served for. As I took a seat, I overheard from the background the news anchor of one of the terrestrial giants broadcasting the proceedings of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Obviously, these sailors are keeping track of the impeachment trial of the Chief Justice. And like other Filipinos, these calamity-tested white-uniformed men, who are as fiercely convicted to live as the Vikings of the golden era of seafaring, are eager to know the results. In fact, quoting the Second Mate, he wanted Corona convicted.

But for most of them, there is more to it than the session in the messroom: Life. Known to be bold and strong, they wittingly conquer the high seas that often pose overwhelming and threatening perils: Nature and man-made calamities. Most often, they overcome these perils by utilizing their skills and an ounce of providential luck; failure to overcome these dangers would certainly imperil their very own lives.

Peeping through, Titanic, the biggest and the most sophisticated luxury liner during her prime, lost hundreds of lives to Atlantic Ocean when it hit a submerged portion of the iceberg. Though it was a contact of nature, human error was the prevailing and proven factor in that case. Recently, Italy-based luxury liner Costa Concordia ran aground and tilted off the coast of Miglio, an island off Italy.

In two months time within the domestic shores, at least three storm-caused maritime disasters were recorded and reported: Off the coasts of Batanes, Catanduanes, and Aklan. Luckily though, all crew members survived.

Peeking through, the perks of sea-based workers are, by industry standard and practice, relatively higher and different from that of the land-based. For one, the risk involved is undoubtedly greater. Two, the detachment or alienation they experience is uncompromisingly incomparable.

Whether tsunami or hurricane, tropical storm or sand storm, cyclone or avalanche, they all fall under one label in life: Dangers. And in that we mean, dangers that put all of them, including us, in threatening situations. Any error in calculating the ships position in the navigational highway would certainly mean a maritime disaster that would consequently translate to loss of properties, loss of lives, or even nature.

Seeing through the barriers of opaque horizon, seafarers oftentimes dismiss the idea of seeing loved ones soonest, discount the possibility of sleeping with their wives, or forget the idea of dining with the family.

Cruising with the seafarers and sailing through the ups and downs translate to sailing with the two extremes this government accorded its constituents: the roller-coaster ride to uncertainty.

When was the last time we had our best cruise with any of the highest political leader of the country? Glitch: It’s not fun in the Philippines anymore!