The Department of Education (DepED) on Saturday, Nov. 5, confirmed the death of a public school teacher following the bus accident in Orani, Bataan.
“One of the participants, a teacher of Payatas B Elementary School, was declared dead on arrival at the Orani District Hospital due to a fatal injury,” the DepED Schools Division Office (SDO) of Quezon City said in a statement.
The SDO officials are currently arranging the transport of the remains of the lone casualty. “Her relative was brought from Quezon City to the Orani District Hospital for the release of the body,” the QC SDO added.
In the same statement, the SDO of QC said that three buses departed from San Francisco High School Compound, Quezon City ferrying 141 passengers bound for Sinagtala Resort, Orani, Bataan on Nov. 4.
The participants, who were public elementary and secondary school teachers of Quezon City, were scheduled to attend a Gender and Development activity.
At about 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 5, the DepEd QC bus (SAA-9845) carrying 48 passengers --- including the driver and alternate --- plunged into a 15-meter ravine causing various injuries to the passengers.
In the report, it was stated that the bus lost its brakes while negotiating a very sharp curve.
Following the incident, early responders of the Province of Bataan rushed the injured to the Orani District Hospital where they were given first aid and subjected to an x-ray and CT scan.
Three of the injured were brought to the Balanga Provincial Hospital where they are undergoing further treatment while 18 injured participants were brought to the Provincial DRRM for debriefing.
Upon learning of the accident, the officials of the SDO Quezon City rushed to the site to assist.
The SDO said that the other injured passengers were brought to the 1Bataan Command Center, Medical Aid Station Facility established by PDRRMO Bataan for the conduct of psychological first aid and stress debriefing (CSID) conducted by the Provincial Health Office, Provincial Social Welfare Office.
Likewise, the local government of Quezon City immediately reached out to extend assistance.
The QC LGU and the DepEd SDO pledged also pledged to “shoulder all medical expenses of the injured passengers including financial assistance to the deceased.”
It was also reported that another bus of the DepEd QC arrived to fetch the rest of the injured passengers to be brought back to Quezon City for “further treatment and to be brought to their respective homes.”
In a message to reporters, DepED Spokesperson Michael Poa said that the Central Office continues to monitor the incident as well as the teachers involved.
“Ang pinakamahalaga po ngayon ay ang condition ng ating mga guro na sakay ng bus (The most important thing now is the condition of our teachers who are on the bus),” Poa said.