BAGUIO CITY– Some P 485,000 was disbursed by the local government as financial assistance to the families of the fatalities and injured victims of the tragic vehicular accident involving a garbage truck of the city at Bontiwey, Poblacion, Tuba, Benguet early morning of June 8, 2020.
City Social Welfare and Development Officer Betty Fangasan said that a total of P425,000 was turned over by the city to the families of the six fatalities of the aforesaid accident for the funeral services and financial assistance while some P60,000 in financial aid was given to the families of the injured victims.
She disclosed the financial assistance to the accident victims was immediately turned over to the beneficiaries on June 9, 2020 or a day after the accident pursuant to the directive of Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong for the city government to extend utmost assistance to the accident victims.
At around 4 a.m. of June 8, 2020, 6 people died while 4 others were injured when a Baguio city garbage truck figured in road mishap at Sitio Bontiwey, Poblacion, Tuba.
The city-owned garbage truck reportedly lost its brakes, bumped a lowland-bound dump truck it was tailing and then rammed into a concrete barrier where it finally rested on its side.
On the other hand, the dump truck allegedly crossed the Baguio-bound lane and slammed into an incoming trailer truck.
The families of Jon Rex Pay-an Hilario, Mark Alvin Dela Rama Collantes, Billy Joe Lachica Collantes, Rustom Lachica Dela Rama and Rey Mark Lachica Dela Rama, personnel and volunteers of the City General Services Office received P25,000 each as funeral assistance while their beneficiaries, including that of Jonathan F. Vargas, a driver of Goldrich Construction who was then driving the Baguio-bound trailer truck, also received P50,000 each as financial assistance from the local government.
Further, beneficiaries of the injured individuals, Romeo Dela Rama Collantes, Ernesto Lachica Collantes, Jr. and Philip Dela Rosa, received P20,000 each as financial assistance extended by the city.
Fangasan provided the members of the city council with her report detailing the extent of assistance that was immediately extended by the local government to the beneficiaries of the fatalities and the injured individuals as a result of the tragic vehicular accident that transpired in the accident-prone section of the Palispis-Aspiras Highway.
Magalong commended City General Services Officer Eugene Buyucan and City Social Welfare and Development Officer Fangasan and their personnel for their timely interventions right after the occurrence of the incident that resulted to the immediate clearing of the accident site, the opening of the highway to vehicular traffic and the immediate release of the benefits of the victims for the use of their beneficiaries.
By Dexter A. See
Photo by: Armando Bolislis
