Coast Guard Urges Caution After Child Drowns in Davao River

THE Coast Guard Station–Davao City (CGS-Davao) has urged parents to always supervise their children following the drowning of a two-year-old boy in the Davao River.

Ensign Patrick John Domingo, administrative officer of CGS-Davao, said in a media interview on May 21, 2025, at the Royal Mandaya Hotel, that residents near rivers should stay alert as continuous rains from the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) are causing water levels to rise.

“Sa karun lain ang panahon gataas ang tubig dira, bantayan natu always ang atoang mga bata kay para maiwasan ang mga drowning incidents (The weather is different and water levels are rising, so we must always watch our children to prevent drowning incidents),” Domingo said. 

He also warned intoxicated individuals to avoid rivers and other bodies of water to reduce drowning risks. Domingo assured that the Coast Guard is always ready to respond to emergencies in the city’s rivers and coastal areas.

The incident occurred around 8 a.m. on May 20, 2025, when the two-year-old was swept away by a creek in Purok 6-B, Pag-asa B, Barangay 5-A, Davao City. The child was last seen by an eight-year-old neighbor, leading the family to immediately seek help from authorities.

As of press time, search operations are ongoing, and the child has yet to be found. The Coast Guard has issued a notice to all mariners, asking them to report any sightings to the nearest station.

Domingo noted that this drowning is the first recorded in the city for the year’s first quarter, compared to three incidents during the same period in 2024.

He credited the decline in drowning cases to consistent Coast Guard patrols along the rivers and seas, with personnel ready to respond to water emergencies. RGP