Senior waiting for P20 rice dies in road crash

MANILA, Philippines —  An elderly man lining up for the P20-per-kilo subsidized rice outside the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) in Quezon City died while another was injured after a pickup truck struck them at dawn yesterday, according to the Department of Agriculture. The DA said the 73-year-old man, who was seated while waiting in line at around 3:45 a.m., succumbed to severe injuries before reaching the hospital.

A sidewalk vendor was injured and is now undergoing treatment, the DA said.

Investigation showed that the pickup truck was traveling from Elliptical Road toward Congressional Avenue when its driver rammed pedestrians near the gutter.

The designated waiting and selling area, complete with chairs and tents, had been prepared at the BAI compound.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. extended his condolences to the senior citizen’s family and assured them of support.

“The government is committed to extending the necessary assistance to the victim’s family during this difficult time,” Tiu Laurel said.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra, who heads the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service and the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program, also expressed sorrow over the incident.

She appealed to beneficiaries of the subsidized rice to avoid arriving early at distribution sites.

“While we understand the eagerness of beneficiaries to secure their rice allocation, we encourage everyone to avoid lining up too early,” Guevarra said.

The DA assured the public that there is sufficient rice “available for those in need.”

Guevarra urged beneficiaries to use the online scheduling system to avoid long queues.

Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Office has summoned the registered owner of the truck and its driver to appear at the LTO central office on May 25.

They were ordered to explain why they should not be held accountable for administrative charges of reckless driving and improper persons to operate a motor vehicle.

Both the driver’s license and the truck have been placed under alarm status while the probe is ongoing.