Container van driver grateful for new life

MANILA, Philippines - The driver of a container van smashed by a passenger bus that fell off Skyway’s elevated portion last Monday cannot stop thanking God for his new life.

Gilbert Montellano, 30, still could not believe that he survived the crash that killed 18 people when he heard a report of his death in the television news.

“The report said I was killed in the accident. I was surprised, because the last time I looked at myself I was alive,” Montellano told The STAR yesterday.

He was then waiting to be attended to at the Parañaque Doctors Hospital.

He could no longer remember the TV channel because he was looking down while covering his face as blood dripped from his forehead.

“I found it funny because the report was wrong. What they did not know was that I was still breathing,” he said, adding he could not muster the strength to get angry because at that time he was very grateful to God.

Montellano was driving along the West Service Road when a speeding unit of Don Mariano Transit fell off the Skyway and smashed his truck.

He was running at 20 to 30 kilometers per hour when he saw the red bus falling off the rails.

“I wanted to speed up but I couldn’t because there was a jeep in front of me that was also moving slowly,” he said. “I was just lucky to have survived.”

But while he rejoiced in Manila, his relatives in Nueva Ecija started grieving.

“They were calling my relatives because they thought I was already dead. When I talked to them, they were shocked,” he said.

He called on journalists to be extra cautious when reporting about similar incidents.

“You can’t blame them if they commit a mistake in their reports but I hope they would be more careful next time because like in my case, my relatives were so upset,” he said.

De facto one-strike policy

Meanwhile, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte yesterday said a de facto one-strike policy is already being implemented against erring bus companies and their personnel.

“It seems like that is already being implemented by the Department of Transportation and Communications and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) as they suspend the fleet when there is an accident that occurs involving one of the buses. They immediately inspect and gradually, they give approval once they pass the examination and inspection. If not, they remain grounded,” Valte said.

The Palace earlier said it would ask pertinent officials to study a one-strike policy or the practice of revoking the franchise of a bus firm once found to be violating rules and regulations in operating public utility vehicles.

Valte also said the Skyway operators were already taking measures to avoid accidents.

“I understand, even without talking to government, they’ve already initiated some actions to make sure that incidents like this do not happen again. But I received word from Chair (Winston) Ginez of the LTFRB that they are continuing their garage inspection, their physical inventory and road worthiness inspection of buses that are operating in Metro Manila,” Valte said.

She said they were conducting the inspection inventory and road worthiness inspection of 151 units of Pascual Liner, one of the 10 deadliest bus firms according to the LTFRB and the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

Valte said the inspection would continue even during the Christmas season to ensure the safety of passengers.

Don Mariano Transit Corp. similarly topped LTFRB’s list of the “10 deadliest bus firms” that have incurred the most damage to property.

The others are Nova Auto Transport, Gasat Express, Mayami Transport, Pascual Liner, Rainbow Express Inc., Roval Transport, A&D Liner, Jell Transport and CEM Transit Sevices.

Bus company’s appeal

Ginez also said yesterday that Don Mariano Transit has asked the LTFRB not to cancel its franchise following the fatal accident last Monday.

Ginez said the bus company submitted its compliance on Friday to the board’s directive for it to explain why it should not be meted further sanctions following the accident on the Skyway.

The bus operator also asked the board to lift the preventive suspension imposed on its entire fleet following the accident.

He said the company claimed its bus units are properly checked by its properly trained mechanics every time they go out of the garage.

He added that the company also claimed its drivers are required to submit all government clearances before they are hired.

“They claimed the drivers are also made to undergo regular drug testing, including an unannounced drug check,” Ginez told The STAR.

The LTFRB chief said the company also said the drivers are made to undergo seminars on road safety.

“The company also claimed it has been complying with labor standards,” Ginez said.

With the submission, the bus company also surrendered all the plates of its remaining 77 buses.

According to Ginez, the board would be awaiting the reports from the Highway Patrol Group, the LTO and even the panel created by Ginez on the accident.

In January, the board is set to conduct a hearing on the case to determine whether the company should be imposed graver sanctions for the fatal accident.

Mandatory speed limiters

Meanwhile, more than 5,000 people are supporting an online petition asking the LTFRB to revoke all franchises of companies that will refuse to install electronic speed limiters in public utility buses.

The petition, filed by STAR motoring columnist James Deakin, was posted in change.org (http://chn.ge/1l3089F) after the bus crash in Skyway on Dec. 16.

“First things first, install mandatory speed limiters on each and every public or private bus in the country. This is not new technology, nor is it expensive, but it could solve over 90 percent of this problem,” read the petition.

“It is currently used in most European cars to electronically limit them to 250km/h, and could be done here to restrict our buses plying EDSA to 50 km/h. Provincial buses, especially those running on the North Expressway, could be given an 80 km/h limit,” it added.

The petition has 5,762 supporters as of yesterday afternoon.

Deakin challenged lawmakers or “anyone who has the capacity to make that difference reading this petition.”

“Let’s see which one of you is man enough to try. And if you cannot, have the decency to step down and allow us to vote in someone else who could,” he said.

The petition also suggested that the government take over the administration of public utility buses.

“I never thought I would encourage the government to take over anything, but another primary reason that bus drivers speed is because they are ‘racing’ to the next passengers,” it said.

Ginez earlier said that they are studying the proposal of mandating the use of limiters. He said the board has been in talks with suppliers of the said devices since earlier this year. – With Aurea Calica, Janvic Mateo, Reinir Padua