CEBU CITY — Seven elementary pupils and two other passengers were confirmed dead in a road accident in Boljoon, Cebu, Friday morning, July 19, 2019.
Sixteen other passengers were also rushed to nearby government hospital for various injuries. The victims were onboard a government-owned dumptruck when the accident happened.
Boljoon Mayor Merlou Derama said the teachers requested his office to fetch the students from the far-flung schools of Nangka Elementary School, San Antonio Elementary School and Upper Becerril Elementary School.
It was a joint activity for the health month and district meet.
The accident according to Derama happened in Barangay San Antonion when the driver, Danilo Niere, was traversing a downhill when the truck lost its brakes.
The mayor added that Neire was forced to hit a hill in order to stop the truck, but it flipped and passengers were thrown off the truck.
The fatalities were identified as Jerome Niere, 11 years old; Mary Ann Filipino, 12 years old; Clint Isidore Dugang, 10 years old; Jefferson Jorpo, 11 years old; Mark Loyd Mosqueda, 12 years old; Riza Mae Viñan, 10 years old; Janna delos Santos, 12 years old; Victoria Gorozon, 40 years old and Alexander Villanueva, 20 years old.
“This is very unfortunate. Nobody wants this to happen. Everybody helped para ma-facilitate ang tanan. Mga LGU sa lain-lain nga lungsod, atong mga tawo sa district diri sige man hatag og updates. God help us,” said Cebu Province Schools Division Superintendent Rhea Mar Angtud.
The driver who was among those rushed to the hospital was arrested by police authorities.
Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWD) Acting Head Wilson Ramos said they called the VSMMC right away to prepare to attend to the three patients who were on the way to the tertiary medical facility.
Ramos disclosed that the Provincial Government will give burial assistance to the families of the 11 who died on the spot. Social workers will also be sent to attend to the families’ psychosocial needs.
“We made sure that all the immediate needs of the patients were well taken care of,” according to Ramos.
Aside from the PSWDO, personnel from the Integrated Provincial Health Office headed by Dr. Christina Giango were also mobilized to attend to the patients’ needs at the district hospitals.
