Time has passed. Roads have changed. The mountain has grown quiet again.
But for the families of Cebu Pacific Flight 387, the shrine standing on the boundaries of Gingoog City and Claveria remains more than a place on the map. It is where grief settled, where hope was tested, and where remembrance continues.
Twenty-eight years after the crash that claimed 104 lives, the Flight 387 shrine in Sitio Civoleg, Barangay Lunutan stands as both a memorial and a destination—drawing not only tourists, but families and visitors who return to confront a loss that never fully disappears.
On February 2, the provincial government of Misamis Oriental marked the 28th anniversary of the tragedy through a solemn commemoration led by Governor Juliette Uy. The ceremony began with a Mass and was followed by a wreath-laying at the shrine.
The aircraft crashed on February 2, 1998. Nearly three decades later, families still make the difficult climb to the site, carrying flowers, candles, and stories that remain unfinished.
Among those who attended was Emilda Lim-Malines, a relative of one of the victims. She said that even after 28 years, the pain remains painfully fresh.
For many families, she explained, visiting the crash site has long been a wish—not for closure, but simply for the chance to be near their loved ones.
“Ang mga relatives sa mga nawad-an gusto sila muadto sa area (sa Sumagaya) bisan ug lisod, para maka-adto hinay-hinay,” Malines said.
Her words reflect what anniversaries often reveal: grief does not end with time. It only changes its form.
Also present was Patricia Juan Emano, a public nurse of Gingoog City who served as part of the medical response team in 1998.
She recalled that despite the years that have passed, she still remembers the cold mountain air, the difficult terrain, and the emotional weight of families who refused to surrender hope.
The recovery operations, she said, lasted nearly a month before responders could finally leave the area.
“Bisan mag-declare nga wala na gyud alive, di pa gyud nimo ma-control ang family member. Ga-hope pa gyud sila,” Emano recalled.
Her memories serve as a reminder that tragedies do not remain confined to history books—they live on in those who witnessed them.
In her message, Governor Uy described the crash as a moment of sudden silence—a tragedy that halted dreams mid-flight.
“Ato gyud ipasalamat sa Ginoo nga naa pa kitang tanan karon,” she said.
She urged the public to let go of anger and division, stressing that life is fragile and that the world already bears enough conflict.
“Dili kita angay magdumot, dili kita angay mag-away kay gubot na kaayo ang kalibutan, labi na gyud ang atong gobyerno,” she added.
Uy also thanked Deputy Speaker Yevgeny Vincente Emano for helping develop the area into a peaceful space where families and visitors can reflect and heal.
For Provincial Tourism Officer Cinderella Faye Obenita, the annual commemoration goes beyond tradition.
“It reassures families that they are not alone, and that the province continues to honor those who were lost,” she said.
“The lives that we lost during the tragic crash will always be remembered. They will never be forgotten, no matter what happens,” Obenita added.
She encouraged tourists to visit the shrine, describing it as a place of serenity, where nature holds silence and memory lingers.
“It will take you back in time,” she said.
The journey to the memorial also passes through Route 955, a scenic stretch lined with coffee shops, restaurants, and viewing decks—offering travelers not only breathtaking views, but moments for reflection.
Because on Mt. Sumagaya, remembrance is not only about looking back.
It is about carrying forward the names, the lives, and the dreams that were suddenly interrupted—but never forgotten.
