By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
QUEZON CITY — The families of two riders who died in a road crash in Pasig City have expressed gratitude to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) Acting Secretary Giovanni Z. Lopez and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II after they received a much-needed insurance payout over the road crash that happened on Oct. 14.
In a meeting during the payment of insurance by the Passenger Accident Management & Insurance Agency (PAMI), the siblings of the two riders expressed surprise of how fast the insurance was paid, considering that they were told that their only option was to wait for months or do not expect for any insurance payment based on the experience of some riders in the past.
The road crash happened llast Oct. 14 and the insurance payment was made on Oct. 16 through PAMI President and CEO Bunny Atayde who was represented by the company’s Operations Manager Bong Nocum.
According to Chairman Mendoza, Secretary Lopez immediately directed the LTFRB to process the insurance payment of the two victims, both of them are security guards who were on their way home from work.
“We immediately assisted the family of the victims and we are thankful that the insurance company was very accommodating by ensuring that the payment would be released in the soonest possible time,” Mendoza said.
“This is in line with the instruction of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. to extend all the necessary assistance to our kababayan who are needed,” he added.
In the case of the two victims, the female backrider was declared dead right after the accident while the male rider died in the hospital. Both of them are in dire need of financial assistance.
The incident happened along Marcos Highway in Barangay Santolan, Pasig City. A passenger jeepney was making a U-turn when the motorcycle crashed into it. The impact caused the two riders to be thrown and roll on the pavement, which inflicted serious injuries on them.
The two victims received P100,000 each from PAMI while Mendoza also gave P25,000 additional assistance to each of the victims.
“Malapit ang loob ni Secretary Lopez sa mga kababayan nating nagtatrabaho ng patas at nagsasakripisyo araw-araw sa para sa kanilang pamilya. Kaya nung mabalitaan niya ito ay agad niyang ipinag-utos sa atin na asikasuhin ito para mabigyan agad ng tulong,” Mendoza said.
For their part, the teary-eyed siblings of the two victims expressed gratitude to Secretary Lopez and Chairman Mendoza.
“Maraming salamat po kat Secretary Banoy at kay Chairman Vigor sa tulong na mapabilis ang proseso ng insurance, malaking tulong poi to para sa amin,” Rodalyn de Jose, sister of the motorcycle rider, said.
“Mula po sa aming pamilya ay taos-puso po kaming nagpapasalamat kay DOTr Secretary Lopez at sa LTFRB, kay Chairman Mendoza sa tulong. Sana po ay magtuloy-tuloy ang ganitong klaseng tulong para sa mga ordinaryong mamamayan na katulad namin,” the brother of the female security guard said.
Chairman Mendoza has been an advocate of quick and appropriate insurance payment for all the road crash victims, citing his own experience on how hard it is for ordinary people to shell out money for medical and burial expenses.
“Tapusin na natin ang sistema na baon na baon na sa utang dahil sa hospital expenses ang pamilya ay wala pa rin insurance payment, yung maling sistema na nag death anniversary na wala pa ring insurance payment,” Mendoza said.
“Titiyakin natin na sapat at mabilis ang lahat ng insurance payment dahil ito ang bilin ng ating Pangulo,” he added.
JTR Reports 10170225–MHE
