Fisherman Ruben Dejillo safely returned to his family in Infanta, Quezon, through the diligent coordination of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and various government agencies, after being missing for over a month and subsequently rescued from the waters of Batanes.
The PCG Station Batanes implemented round-the-clock monitoring to ensure Dejillo's safety during his recovery.
After his doctor issued a medical certificate confirming he was "fit to travel," the Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog promptly arranged aerial transport from Basco, Batanes, to the Coast Guard Aviation Command (CGAvCom) in Pasay City.
Once Batanes was cleared of the storm's effects, the aerial transport mission was swiftly carried out. Using the PCG aircraft BN Islander 4177, Dejillo, accompanied by officials from various agencies, arrived at NAIA Terminal 4 at around 3:00 PM on October 4, 2024.
Upon his arrival in Infanta, Dejillo received a warm welcome from his family and relatives, who expressed their joy and gratitude for his safe return after being missing for a long time.
The 49-year-old fisherfolk was found by the crew of MV Veronica, a passenger ship traveling from Itbayat to Basco, Batanes, on September 19.
He was missing for 46 days and had ended up in the waters of Batanes. He was then immediately taken to Batanes General Hospital for treatment of severe malnutrition and dehydration upon his rescue.
He also underwent thorough medical examinations.
