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InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
MANILA, Philippines -- Barely a year has passed since the tragic death of veteran journalist Lourdes "Chit" Estella-Simbulan on Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City and her husband, Prof. Roland Simbulan, recalled their fond moments together.
Simbulan proudly flashed pictures of him with his wife from the time they got married to pictures taken just months before the tragedy.
"This is very, very personal to me," Prof. Simbulan said as he spoke at a road safety forum at Camp Crame on Wednesday.
"I speak not just as an ordinary citizen because my life and my whole family's life was drastically altered and changed with the loss of our loved one on a fatal road accident on May 13, 2011. Hindi pa isang taon nang mangyari. I think you all saw it on TV or heard it on the radio," Prof. Simbulan said.
Estella died after a speeding bus rammed the taxi she was on that night.
"Chit, my wife, was a very active road user. All her life as a student, journalist, and editor of three national dailies and a professor of journalism at the University of the Philippines. But the accident that caused the loss of her precious life could have been prevented had bus drivers followed the speed limit and law enforcers diligently enforced traffic rules," Prof. Simbulan added.
A grieving father
Dr. Pepe Alcantara still recalls the trauma the death of his 10-year-old son brought to his family.
His son, Amiel Alcantara, was run over by a car right inside the parking grounds of the Ateneo Grade School in Quezon City last Feb. 24, 2009.
"Isang araw nang siya ay kumakain ng sandwich bandang 4 p.m., Feb. 24, 2009 bigla syang naipit, naararo at namatay. Mula sa araw na yan ang epekto sa aming pamilya ay masakit at hanggang ngayon nasa puso," Dr. Alcantara said.
Dr. Alcantara still could not believe how an incident could happen.
"Ang aking anak na Amiel sa edad ng 6, siya ay natuto mag-spear fishing sa Taal Lake. Nagkakayak na...siya ay natutong mag snorkel on open seas sa edad na 9 pero sa edad na 10, isang araw nang siya ay kumakain ng sandwich 4 pm, Feb 24 2009 bigla syang naipit, naararo at namatay," he said.
He said the trauma caused by the accident to his children was so great that they had to undergo therapy.
"Ang aking mga anak they would rather snorkel in the open seas kesa maglakad sa kalsada. Sila po ay takot na takot lumakad at maglakad sa lansangan. Masakit po yan. It took us about 2 1/2 now 3 yrs. Maraming therapy. Yung aking kwento kwento ng maraming biktima," Dr. Alcantara said.
Metro Manila most accident-prone
Combined statistics from the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, and the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group showed that a total of 85,820 road crashes occurred in 2011. While this number is 3.69 percent lower than the 2010 data, it still showed that 90.17 percent of road crashes occurred in Metro Manila.
Nationwide, a total of 1,833 persons were killed while almost 29,000 people injured from road accidents.
Over 113, 421 vehicles ranging from buses, trucks, jeeps, and tricycles were involved in road accidents.
Prof. Simbulan said that road safety and road consciousness should be part of society's "culture of safety."
"It must be instilled in the family, schools, parishes, communities. Yes accidents are accidents but most accidents could have been avoided if we checked our brakes before driving, if we followed speed limits, if we did not drink too much alcohol before we drive and if law enforcers follow rules themselves," he said.
Cuture of safety
He added that political will is also crucial in addressing road accidents.
"Lawmakers should not be law breakers. I do not mean the business of tong collection but that the laws are there to be enforced for everybody so even law enforcers and VIPs can be ticketed if they violate traffic rules. Perhaps if concerned agencies do their part, I think we can save more lives on our roads. I do not want to say more. There are already too many road victims, drivers, commuters and even people just watching TV in their homes whose homes were smashed by speeding drivers," Prof. Simbulan said.
Dr. Alcantara said that road safety is a reflection of a country's economy.
"Masusukat ang isang lipunan sa pamamgitan ng uri ng kantang kalsada. Tayo ho ba ay masaya sa kalsada? Tayo ba ay safe sa kalsada? Maraming usapin tungkol sa kalsada...maaari masukat ang isang lipunan sa pamamagitan ng uri ng kanyang kalsada," he said.
He stressed that authorities must address four factors in road safety: the driver, the vehicle, the commuter, and the road itself.
