Gilbert Arce, the 54-year-old president of a state-un college in Ilocos Sur, died and six others were injured in a vehicular collision in Santa, Ilocos Sur province on Saturday, June 3, 2023. (Photo courtesy of Ilocos Sur Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office)
LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte, Philippines — Gilbert Arce, the president of Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College (ISPSC) was killed in a road accident on Saturday, June 3, when his pickup truck had a head-on collision on the national highway traversing Barangay Mabilbila Norte in Santa town.
The crash occurred at around noon, according to the police.
Arce, 54, was driving northbound when his vehicle suddenly “encroached” on the other lane.
He had just come from a stipend distribution program for students in Candon City, Ilocos Sur.
The encroachment resulted in a head-on collision with an oncoming Transport Pro bus, which crashed on a house beside the highway, according to the police.
At least six passengers of the bus were reportedly injured.
Emergency personnel who arrived at the crash site immediately took Arce to Northside Doctors Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.
Photos of the accident scene showed that the front portion of Arce’s pickup was wrecked.
A third vehicle, which was an aluminum van trailing behind the bus, was able to evade the collision, crashing instead into a house.
The driver of the van was safe.
Officials from across Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur provinces mourned the loss of Garcia, who also served as the president of the state-run University of Northern Philippines from 2011 to 2019.
Ilocos Sur 2nd district Rep. Kristine Singson-Meehan said that she was saddened by the “untimely passing of one great man, whose dynamic leadership, dedication, and vision set the pace for the university-hood of ISPSC.”
Dr. Shirley Agrupis, the president of Mariano Marcos State University, led the academe in honoring Arce, whose “vision and significant legacy shall live on” and who was a “staunch ally in various development initiatives and educational reforms.”