WHAT could be more heroic than facing death just to save somebody else’s life?
In a town adjacent northeast of Metro Manila, 37-year old Florisel Mahinay succumbed to death by shielding her sons aged seven and 12-years old, from the boulders rolling down the hill in Sitio Macopoy, Barangay Mascap, in Montalban, Rizal.
According to Florisel’s 18-year old eldest daughter Hazel, the tragedy struck at around 5:30 Sunday morning.
“Nagising ako sa sigaw ni nanay… bilisan daw namin lumabas ng bahay kasi may palapit na dagundong daw ng mga bato,” Hazel recounted.
But before the family could fully evacuate their shanty, a colossal rock loosened from the saturated upper slope, hurtling downward and violently smashing directly into the bedroom section of the house.
Moments after, she saw her mom pinned down by a huge rock boulder covering her two younger siblings.
Emergency personnel from both the local government and police were immediately deployed to the ground zero zone to conduct rescue operations and stabilize the disaster site.
First responders arriving at the scene faced a harrowing, chaotic environment as neighbors desperately used bare hands and basic tools to clear structural debris and earth.
Police teams confirmed that Florisel took the brunt of the heavy impact while shielding her family. She was pulled from the wreckage and rushed alongside her sons to the nearby Casimiro Ynares Sr. Memorial Hospital.
Tragically, attending medical physicians declared the 37-year-old mother dead on arrival due to severe trauma injuries sustained from the crushing weight of the boulder.
Florisel’s sons miraculously survived the direct hit but sustained significant, varying injuries. Ground zero medical updates confirm that both children remain admitted at the hospital, where they are receiving active treatment and are currently under close observation by pediatric trauma specialists.
Relatives and neighbors have gathered at the hospital corridor, deeply shaken by the sudden loss of the family matriarch while keeping vigil for the recovery of the two boys.
Local police and municipal disaster risk reduction management personnel have cordoned off Sitio Macopoy, restricting entry to the immediate hazard zone to prevent further casualties.
Geologists and local engineers are currently inspecting the integrity of the mountain slopes in Barangay Mascap, as recent seasonal rains have highly saturated the soil, making nearby households vulnerable to further rockfalls or secondary mudslides.
The local government promised to shoulder the burial expenses of the deceased mother and provide comprehensive medical and financial assistance to the surviving family members.