MH17 Filipino victim was the pillar of her family

QUEZON, Philippines –  A Filipino mother and her family were on their way to a family reunion in the Philippines on board MH17 when surface to air missiles reportedly shot it down.

Pia Ranada reports, the tragedy ripples way beyond the victims to affect many more lives.

Irene Pabellon Gunawan was excited to see her siblings in the Philippines.
With her indonesian husband Hadiono, 20 year old son, Darryl, and 15 year old daughter Sherryl, they were all going to the Philippines to attend the family’s yearly reunion.
Darryl even posted on instagram: “Off to The Philippines & Vietnam for a month!”
He had planned to go to Vietnam after the Philippines. But those plans ended abruptly.
On July 17, their plane, Malaysia Air Flight MH17 was hit by a missile over Ukrainian air space.
Charred bodies lie in a refrigerated train while the metal scraps are still in the fields.
Some 9,000 kilometers away, Irene’s family in the sleepy town of Pagbilao in Quezon waits.
Irene’s siblings have been in a state of anxiety for days.
They offer prayers and wait for news from the media or the government.
Sherryl’s clothes lie folded, ready to be worn.
The room reserved for the Netherlands-based family remains locked.
Tirso Pabellon, Irene’s older brother, says they’ve lost a sister and the pillar of their family.

TIRSO PABELLON, BROTHER OF IRENE GUNAWAN: Siya po ang taong hindi ko malilimutan kahit sa huling sandali kasi siya ang breadwinner ng aming family. Lahat ng pamangkin na hindi namin kaya paaralan hanggang sa mataas na antas ay siya ang nagpuno ng lahat para makatapos sila. Mahal niya ang pamilya namin, bago ang lahat. Pamilya muna ang inuuna niya bago ang sarili. (I will never forget her until the end because she is the breadwinner of our family. She supports our children’s schooling if we cannot. She loves our family before everything else. She always puts family first before herself.)

Kim, Irene’s nephew, still has his aunt’s favorite mug and lighter in their house down the road.

KIM PABELLON, NEPHEW OF IRENE GUNAWAN: Ang huli po naming usap noon ay nung Lunes, bago siya sumakay sa eroplano, ang huling usap namin nun ay mag-iinuman kami. Sabi niya, “I’m so proud of you Kim kasi mas inuna mo yung mga research papers mo.” (Our last conversation was last Monday before she boarded the airplane. We said we would drink together. She said, ‘I’m so proud of you Kim because you prioritize your research papers.)

In the living room, a model airplane reminds them of the tragedy.

TIRSO PABELLON, BROTHER OF IRENE GUNAWAN: Ilang tao yung namatay? Bawat isang pamilya doon na namatay, sampung doble ang nagmamahal doon. Gaano yan? Hindi kaya ng isang eroplano yang isakay, yung pinaka malaki. Buong mundo ang nasaktan. (How many people died? Each family that died was loved by so many other people. How many is that? Not even the biggest plane can fit that many people in. The whole world was hurt.

Their loved ones gone forever, the Pabellons at least want answers.

KIM PABELLON, NEPHEW OF IRENE GUNAWAN: Wala kami sinisisi kasi nangyari na pero kung meron po, yun na po ang responsibilidad na ng gobyerno. Sana tumulong sila na malaman kung sino ang may gawa, kung sino ang may kasalanan sa nangyari. (We do not blame anyone because it already happened but if someone is to blame, that’s the government’s responsibility. I hope they help find out who is at fault for what happened.)

Pia Ranada, Rappler, Pagbilao Quezon.

– Rappler.com