‘May pangarap ang batang iyon’: Grieving lola seeks accountability, DepEd help after granddaughter’s death in Cauayan fun run

CAUAYAN CITY, Isabela — Just two days after celebrating her seventh birthday, a Grade 2 pupil joined what was supposed to be a fun-filled morning with her family and fellow students.

Instead, her family is now mourning her sudden death following an alleged electrocution incident during a Bubble and Color Fun Run at Cauayan South Central School on Saturday, October 3, 2026.

The incident left two pupils dead and two others injured. Four students were initially attended to by Rescue 922 and brought to two hospitals in Cauayan City for medical treatment. Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the electrical equipment and safety measures involved.

More than 1,000 participants, including pupils, parents and some barangay officials, reportedly took part in the activity, which began at around 4 a.m.

After completing the run, participants returned to the school grounds for a bubble party, where the electrical incident reportedly occurred.

For Elsa Dela Peña, grandmother of one of the fatalities, the tragedy is difficult to accept—not only because of the sudden loss, but because her granddaughter had just celebrated her seventh birthday on October 1.

In an emotional interview with 98.5 i-FM Cauayan on October 3, Dela Peña expressed disbelief over the child's sudden death.

“Naawa [ako]- bat ganun? Bigla bigla yung pagkamatay nung bata? Kabe-birthday niya lang nung October 1, tapos ganyan nangyari? Birthday niya lang nitong October 1, seven years old na siya,” she said.

Dela Peña said she had initially considered not allowing another grandchild to join the activity because of the P350 registration fee, which she said could instead have been used for their family’s daily needs.

According to Bombo Radyo Cauayan, the victim was the only one of Dela Peña’s grandchildren who participated in the activity, joining the fun run with an older sibling.

She said the family was devastated when they learned what had happened.

Dela Peña further shared that she later learned from family members that several children had reportedly fallen in the area where the incident occurred.

According to her, the children initially appeared to have simply fallen, but the family later learned that they had allegedly been electrocuted.

“Yung mga bata pala, nagtumbahan na pala. Bat hindi nila pinansin, nagtumbahan na sila? Sabi nung kapatid niya, yung grade 3, ‘nagtumbahan sila, hindi man lang tinignan,’ yun pala nakuryente na sila,” she said.

The grandmother also questioned the level of supervision during the activity, saying adults accompanying the children were expected to look after them.

‘May pangarap ang batang iyon’

For Dela Peña, the child’s death has left the family struggling to understand what happened.

“Nasa morgue na po… di nila na-survive kasi dead on the spot na daw. Kasi siyempre yung boltahe, basang-basa pa yung bata… andun sila [parents ng biktima] sa hospital- inaasikaso na nila, hindi nila matanggap.”

She said she wants those responsible to be held accountable, although she acknowledged that she did not know at the time of the interview whether the family would formally file a case.

She also questioned whether more children could have been harmed had the incident affected a larger number of participants.

“E buti- panu kung yung mga bata maraming namatay? E wala a… mananagot sila diyan- kapabayaan yan…mga bata ang mga yan, alam ba nila yan? Siyempre bubble yun, tuwang-tuwa sila dahil may mga bubbles. Alam ba ng mga bata yan?”

Authorities, however, have yet to establish whether negligence occurred or determine who may be legally responsible.

Initial reports indicated that investigators were examining the possibility of an electrical short circuit or grounding in the area where the children were playing, particularly near the bubble machines. The exact cause remains under investigation.

For Lola Elsa, the loss is made even more painful by the child’s young age and the future she will no longer have.

“Hindi ko po alam [kung magsampa sila ng kaso], basta managot daw sila. Siyempre buhay nung bata… may pangarap yung batang yun. Grade 2… ang sakit sa loob talaga, bigla bigla nalang namatay.”

With a grieving heart, Dela Peña pleaded for accountability and assistance for the bereaved family.

“Dapat sampahan ng kaso yan, tulungan sana kami ng DepEd,” she said.

Her plea came as the Department of Education launched a fact-finding investigation into the incident.

DepEd launches fact-finding investigation

Following the tragedy, DepEd expressed its deepest sympathies to the families and the school community.

The department said it is coordinating with the local government and law enforcement authorities as a fact-finding investigation gets underway.

The investigation includes a review of the activity, safety measures implemented, equipment used and the roles of those involved. DepEd said appropriate action will be taken based on the findings.

The Cauayan City Schools Division Office also confirmed the incident and said it is working with the local government and other concerned agencies to provide assistance and support to those affected.

The division office, together with Cauayan South Central School, is cooperating with the authorities’ investigation.

Meanwhile, Cauayan South Central School expressed profound sadness over the deaths.

In its statement, the school administration, teachers, personnel and School Parent-Teacher Association (SPTA) officers extended their condolences to the bereaved families, relatives, friends and the entire school community.

The school also urged the public to refrain from spreading unverified information, assumptions and speculation that could further burden the grieving families.

It emphasized that the safety and welfare of its learners remain a priority and appealed to the school community to provide emotional support to those affected.

As authorities continue to determine what caused the electrical incident and whether safety protocols were properly followed, Lola Elsa and her family are left to grieve the loss of a seven-year-old child who, just two days earlier, had celebrated another year of life.

And behind her call for accountability is a grandmother’s heartbreaking plea for answers—for a child she says “may pangarap” and whose life was cut short before she could fulfill them.