Photo from Southern Luzon State University (SLSU)/Website
LUCENA CITY — The Southern Luzon State University (SLSU) on Thursday, July 27, declared a two-day mourning after the tragic death of its three faculty members in a road accident in Tiaong, Quezon on Wednesday.
“I hereby declare two days of mourning for the whole SLSU community on July 27-28, 2023,” Doracie Boleta-Nantes, SLSU president said in her Memorandum Order No. 054 s. 2023, issued on Thursday morning.
She said the entire SLSU was “deeply saddened” by the accident that resulted in the untimely deaths of three faculty members of the SLSU campus in Tiaong.
Boleta-Nantes requested various SLSU offices, faculty, and employee associations to organize the “luksang parangal” to honor the lives and services to the university of Dr. Rosie C. Dulay, Prof. Salvo O. Salvacion, and Ms Cheryl B. Bundalian.”
The three college teachers died after a passing jitney hit them along the Maharlika Highway in Barangay Lagalag in Tiaong around 7:30 p.m.
Police said the victims just came from the Tiaong campus and were crossing the highway when the accident happened.
The three suffered severe injuries and were taken to two separate hospitals in neighboring Candelaria town.
Bundalian expired around 8:40 p.m. while undergoing treatment at Peter Paul Medical Hospital, while Dulay died at Candelaria United Doctor’s Hospital around 9:15 p.m.
Salvacion also died at past 2 a.m. Thursday at Peter Paul Medical Hospital.
The SLSU president requested everyone to offer prayers for the repose of the souls of the victims and the well-being and welfare of their families and friends.
She also appealed to the public to refrain from sharing and posting videos of the tragic accident on social media that may cause added trauma to their respective families.
“Let us work together as an academic community and as one SLSU family as we go through this difficult period,” Boleta-Nantes said.
SLSU, formerly known as Southern Luzon Polytechnic College, is a government-run higher education institution in Quezon with its main campus located in Lucban town.
It has satellite campuses in the towns of Alabat, Calauag, Catanauan, Gumaca, Infanta, Polillo, Tagkawayan, Tiaong, Tayabas City and Lucena City.