In Agusan del Sur, a resident named Gilbert Sanchez has been living in a 60-foot tall coconut tree for three years. The Local Government Unit (LGU) said they have tried to rescue Gilbert several times but they were afraid to do so as they believe that Gilbert has a large knife and is allegedly mentally ill. In fact, this is their third attempt to rescue him. Gilbert’s mother stated in an interview with News5 that her son has experienced trauma after he was beaten on the head with a gun by his alleged enemy during a fiesta way back in 2014. They suspect that he had developed a mental disorder which is why he decided to live atop the tree to escapefrom his enemy. The only thing his mother could do now is give him food every day. In return, Gilbert uses a rope so his mother could send him food placed in a Tupperware. Gilbert’s 19-year old daughter went to the area hoping that his father would coordinate with the rescue team. She used a megaphone to communicate to his father and convince him to go down. His siblings, on the other hand, are all concerned for his safety. The LGU even said that they worry about his safety too because there is a possibility that he could fall from the tree when a storm hits their city. https://www.tnp.ph/2017/10/11/man-coconut-tree-rescued/
Quite sad really. I wouldn't imagine the mental health support out there would be very supportive for the common man?
A couple of questions come to mind - Can a person survive on Coconuts? Could Coconut trees end homeliness?
Don't get me wrong here - homeliness is a huge problem, not only in the UK but also in the Philippines, where I currently am.
