The cargo ship SS Peter Ronna is still resting along the banks of the Mall of Asia seawall after weeks of being stranded in the wake of typhoon Ulysess’s onslaught. Its removal is still a puzzle to many.
I met Nhorine Ponce, one of the four crew members aboard the ship. Their task is to serve as a guard and fend off looters and pirates. He told me of their current situation and a little bit of personal story.
He said that the ship is out of commission for years. It has a lot of problems ranging from the faulty engine to its overall degrading structure, the reason why it was washed ashore easily during the typhoon in the first place.
They lack food and clean water, and the only way to transport it is through the bucket tied in a rope that acts as a pulley. The ship’s generator is not working, so they politely ask the stores around the seaside to charge their cellphones. In addition to that, their salaries are delayed as well.
But despite all of that, Nhorine is very positive, and his experience as a “ship steward” is an asset for him to be able to apply for a more appropriate maritime job in the future. He wants to be a legitimate seaman someday.
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