14 dead as jeep plunges down Kalinga ravine; victims named

BALBALAN, Kalinga -- Fourteen passengers, including 13 senior citizens, were killed when their hired overloaded jeepney plunged into a ravine here around 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Twenty five other passengers were injured.

The senior citizens, who were among the estimated 50 passengers of the ill-fated jeepney, were returning home to Barangay Dao-angan after claiming their pension at the Balbalan municipal hall when tragedy struck.

Chief Insp. Richard Gadingan, information officer, of the Kalinga Provincial Police Office, said passenger jeepney (WRR-535) owned and driven by Francisco Gumaad Jr. was negotiating a curved, descending portion of the road.

Gumaad asked passengers on the roof of the jeep to disembark to make it easier for him to maneuver.

After making it past the curved portion, however, survivors said the driver lost control of the jeepney after its engine conked out.

The vehicle then hurtled down a ravine around 100 meters deep.

The fatalities were identified as Victorino Banglagan, 67; Soledad Dammay,70; Eliza Amoga,70; Rosario Badong,65; Isabel Bagni, 67;Agida Palangdao,62;Lolita Latawan, 68; William Gamongan,65; Leota Maday,72; Angelina Benito, 62; Benjamin Badong, 68; Terresa Dulansi 70; Martin Canao, 67; and Annie Baluga,45.

Rescuers from the Balbalan local government unit, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection and the Army’s 50thInfantry Battalion, 5thInfantry Division, helped extricate and transport the injured passengers to the Kalinga Western District Hospital.

The injured passengers were Arnel Banglagan,45; Anna Bagwingan, 75; Laika Barbosa, 4;Imelda Cuzon, 52; Manuel Banguingan, 70; CaridadPalicas,72;Jennifer Esteban,40; Irene Dammay, 60;Pedro Maday, 82;AgidaPalangdao, 42; Lolita Gullipis, 77; Mercedez Lingbao, 62; Joselyn Gannisi, 64; Conchita Canao, 61; Socorro Naganag, 56;Sonia Barbosa, 44; Necita Daggay, 61; Concordia Manadao, 61;Bartolome Balcanao, 85;Patricio Maday, 66; Edmund Duguit,45; Mariano Palicas,70; Nanette Gamongan, 61;LeonardaDumaguing, 69; and Francisco Gumaad Jr., 36.

Victims were brought to the Kalinga Western District Hospital.

 The provincial government of Kalinga and the Dept. of Social Welfare and Development assured aid to the families of the victims.

                Gov. Jocel Baac said they have started extending assistance to the victims' families as early as Tuesday evening.

Food and rice needed in the first night of the wake were distributed to the families by the provincial government.

Caskets were also given for those who died in the road crash.

 He added that there is an ongoing assessment of the condition of the injured victims to determine and assess their needs.

                Baac said the financial assistance will be given as soon as the assessment is completed.

                In a phone interview Wednesday, DSWD-Cordillera Director Janet Armas said they are in touch with the provincial office to assess and identify the nearest kin of those who died and the injured so that the government’s financial assistance can be properly handed.

                She added that aside from the DSWD resources, the local government is also extending assistance to the victims.

                In a separate interview, Senior Supt. Alfredo Dangani, Kalinga police provincial director, said they are still waiting for Francisco Gumaad Jr., the driver of the jeepney, to recover and get his side of the story.

                They also hope to interview the injured.

                The victims, all senior citizens, were on their way back to their homes from the Balbalan municipal hall after claiming the pay-out of their third-quarter social pension of P1,500 from the DSWD.

                “We are still pursuing the investigation. We hope to gather information from the driver and the victims to determine what transpired," Dangani said. 

                “We are saddened by the news. It was an incident that nobody wanted. We condole with the families of the victims,” DSWD Secretary Virginia Orogo said Wednesday in Manila.

The DSWD program grants a P500 monthly stipend for indigent senior citizens in the country. The pay-out to the senior beneficiaries is being conducted by the department in coordination with the concerned local government units.

Following the incident, Orogo said the DSWD will be reviewing its current practice and “find ways to make the cash pay-out process simpler and easier for the beneficiaries of our programs, especially for our indigent older persons benefiting from the social pension.”

Meanwhile, the DSWD field office of the Cordillera Administrative Region coordinated with Balbalan local officials for funeral services for victims.

Burial assistance will also be given to the families, DSWD added.

               Armas said social workers and other personnel from the field office will assist the families “until all other needs are assessed and responded to.”-- With a report from Jesse Maguiya/PNA