Bus plunges off Skyway, lands on van

[Zurca]

MANILA, Philippines – At least 18 people are dead after a bus and a van figured in an accident along the Metro Manila Skyway early Monday, December 16.

A Don Mariano Transit bus fell off the southbound lane of the elevated highway early Monday and fell on top of a van plying the West Service Road of the South Luzon Expressway below, in an area part of Parañaque City, initial police reports said.

The bus with plate number UVC 916 was plying the Novaliches-Pacita Complex route when it fell off the elevated highway at past 5 am, radio dzMM reported.

The police's Highway Patrol Group said there were 18 confirmed fatalities, down from an earlier figure of 22. Sixteen people, meanwhile, were injured.

"It (the death toll) could go even higher," as some of the injured are in serious condition, traffic investigator Jose Abuyog told Agence France-Presse, adding that the cause of the accident was still being determined.

The bus driver, who survived, will undergo tests and questioning, said Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)chairman Winston Ginez.

The injured victims have been brought to a hospital in the area, authorities said.

Because of the accident the service road has been closed off to vehicular traffic.

The victims have yet to be identified by authorities.

The HPG, citing a survivor's account, said the cause of the accident was overspeeding. The driver was said to have lost control of the bus, which led to it making a zig-zag path. It then hit the railings and fell off the elevated highway.

The LTFRB later suspended the bus company's 78 units from operating today, pending an investigation into the matter.

The company's drivers will also need to undergo safety and road worthiness tests.

Possible improvements

In a media briefing in Malacañang, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) ordered an investigation into the deadly road accident "and also to review the performance of Don Mariano."

Back in July 2012, a Don Mariano bus also figured in an accident at the EDSA-Ortigas flyover when it slammed on the safety railings. Six people were hurt in the incident.

The Palace said DOTC Secretary Jun Abaya also ordered TRB (Toll Regulatory Board) Executive Director Edmund Reyes to "review the tapes and to talk to Skyway," in order to study what type of "infrastructure improvements we can do to avoid another incident of a bus falling from an elevated tollway."

Lacierda added the speed limit may also be revisted, as well as the requirements of agencies in assessing the competency of drivers.

While the probe on the incident is still ongoing, Lacierda gave assurances the driver will automatically face charges.

"Even if he scratches his head, he will definitely have a case against him. His case is homicide -- reckless imprudence resulting to homicide. That's the case. The court will really file the cases because that's the extent of the liability... in this case, its multiple homicide," he said.

From Rappler.com

[Filgert]

Kawawa yung pamilya ng mga nasawi.magpapasko pa man din. sana makamit nila ang hustisyang nararapat.


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[Prime™]

It really is tragic... Meron dapat mga maparusahan talaga.

May nakapag sabi sakin noon na kaya daw ganyan na kaskasero ang maraming bus drivers jan dahil per quota basis yata sila? The more na makabalik sila, the more pay they get? Tama ba? Para sa nakakaalam any clarification would be great.

[Itachi101]

sad news naman yan
malipat na pa naman ang holidays
tapos may nangyARI pang ganito

[interruptedz]

grabe naman magpapasko pa naman.to think na madami ng violation tong don mariano

[archieboy]

maayos yang don mariano magpalakad. magaling ang management team nila. hindi din ganun karami ang aksidente nila. sila ang pinakamalaking kumpanya ng bus na pang metro manila lang (walang probinsiya) pero under different names. bumibili yan ng mga bus companies at kaya iba iba ang names, meron silang umbrella group. meron quota mga drivers alam ko dati, pero ang alam ko ngayon binago na ang patakaran ng gobyerno, wala na atang quota, sweldo na. bago pa magdrive ang isang driver, kailangan pumasa sila sa tesda seminar at actual drive test. bawat isa meron certificate, naimplement yan last year lang. ang don mariano, lahat yan trained na ng tesda. tingin ko kaya naksidente yan, inaantok.

[cezky09]

Prayers for all the victims. Sana hindi na maulit.


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[AgileZero]

It's the most dangerous time of the year.

Sheesh, why does it always have to buses when a lot of people are now traveling back to provinces.

I really hope it doesn't happen again. (Isn't it that the 2 previous years had December accidents involving buses? WTF is happening?)

 

[archieboy]

correction: di pa pala naiimplement ang salary. commission pa rin ang mga drivers. at  mabilis nga magpatakbo drivers ng don mariano.

[tonistork]

correction: di pa pala naiimplement ang salary. commission pa rin ang mga drivers. at  mabilis nga magpatakbo drivers ng don mariano.

dapat damay damay na yan, total suspension na sa bus company na yan. at talaga naman karamihan ng metro manila bus driver eh mga kaskasero at mga walang disiplina. at dapat sa driver kung buhay pa, ilaglag uli from the skyway tapos ibagsak sa kanya ang nayuping bus na minamaneho nya.

[¿m☺ÿ]

this is really a sad day para sa mga biktima... dapat hindi na pinapayagang dumaan sa mga expressway ang mga bus kasi mas lalo lang silang tumutulin eh.... sa ibang bansa ang bus hindi pwedeng lumagpas ang takbo ng more than 80km per hour kasi a public transportation should be safe....

The authorities should review the regulation with regards to this public transport....at gumawa sila ng hakbang sa mga abusadong driver kasi lalo na sa edsa, kaya may yellow lane para doon lang ang mga bus eh ang nangyayari, pati yung land para sa motor inuukupahan ng mga bus.... at dahi mas malaki sila akala mo sila ang may-ari ng kalsada....

+karma sa iyo ts

[archieboy]

madaming bus drivers na kaskasero pero alam nyo ba mas maraming kasakasero na private cars. malungkot na naaksidente ang bus at sobra ang nagyari na ito madaming namatay. pero alam nyo ba kung sino ang dapat na sisihin sa problema natin sa kalsada , gobyerno. ang bus companies, nag eemploy ng at least 500 employees yan, feeding 500 families. tumutulong sa ekonomiya. alam nyo ba kung ano ang number 1 cause ng trapik sa manila, private cars. pag disorganized ang sistema, mas madami aksidente. sa singapore niregulate ng gobyerno ang private cars, kakaunti ang private cars, ang resulta, drivers paradise. walang katrapik trapik. sa amerika, dahil sa sobrang dami ng private cars, matrapik din, medyo magulo. pero ang kaibahan nila sobrang lawak ng kalsada at halos puro one way, walang salubungan.
ang masama halos lahat ng bus policies sa manila, pinapattern sa amerika ng gobyerno natin, designated bus stops, etc. nilalakihan ba nila ang kalsada, hindi. kaya hindi applicable. alam nyo bana ang mga bus companies ay hinihingan ng lagay ng mga pulis bawat teritoryo, i.e. sm west, guadalupe, makati, cubao, alabang,at marami pa. alam nyo ba kung gaano kakurakot ang ltfrb at ang mmda? at kailangan ko pa bang sabihin ang LTO? grabe manghingi ng lagay ang tatlong ahensya na yan kapag nag aayos ka ng papeles, pag hindi ka nagbayad, mabubulok ang papel mo hindi ilalabas? alam nyo ba gumawa si herbert bautista ng city ordinance noong 2011 (or 2012) at pinasasara mga terminal sa quezon city (mostly novaliches) dahil daw private lands at kinonvert sa commercial, humingi ng lagay 1 million bawat kagawad. anim yata kagawad eh, iba pa kay herbert at sa vice nya. maraming napwersa, walang nagawa, tumawad, nagbayad ng ilang daang libo sa mga kolektor nila. perang dapat sana pambayad sa utang nila sa bangko. pero ang coca cola plant at robinsons at sm hindi pinansin. kung tutuusin ang mga terminals sa novaliches ay more than 30 years ng commercial use. commercial na talaga yun, ang dapat ay i update nila ang zoning nila.

alam nyo ba na ang mga mmda enforcers, babasagin ang ilaw ng bus sa likod at pagdating sa kabilang kanto huhulihin ka ng kasama nila? pag minalas ka iimpound nila sasakyan mo, pag lumaban ka sa korte at napatunayan mo wala kang kasalanan, ilang araw na ang nakalipas, yung kikitain mo na pangbayad mo sana sa utang mo nawala, lugi ka. pag pinatanggal mo yung tao pag iinitan ka, araw araw huhulihin ka ng kasama nila. kung ilalabas mo agad ang bus mula sa impound, 7000 ang singil nila. parang si pacquiao, pinaghirapan nya ang pera nya pero gustong kunin ng gobyerno, at saan napupunta, kina napoles at iba pang mga buwaya. sa totoo lang mas marami akong nakikitang abusado na private cars kesa bus. mas maraming aksidente ang private cars kesa bus. binibigyan ba ng atensyon, hindi, paano numero unong abusado, opisyal ng gobyerno na pera naman ng bayan ang pinambili ng magagarang sasakyan nila. sana ayusin nila ang mga kalsada, hindi gaya ng tunnel dyan papunta makati na madami na nabangga at namatay dahil design ng bobo. pag niregulate nila ang private cars, dinagdagan ang mga tren, solve problema natin sa trapik at mababawasan aksidente. pero ultimo contractor ng tren na taga ibang bansa nagsasabi kung gaano kakurakot opisyal natin. 

hirap talaga maging pinoy.
pero yaan mo na muna maligayang pasko mga pare at mare!