Bus crash victims receive P35,000

Families of five of seven fatalities in the Jegans bus crash in Toledo City cried after receiving P35,000 each as the balance of the standard P75,000 insurance benefit.

Analy Umba, 35, widow of passenger Erineo Umba, 59, said she was thankful even if the money didn’t compensate for losing her husband.

“I still thanked them since I have no work and my four kids are still small,” said the Pinamungamujan resident who recevied her Banco de Oro check at the Harold’s Hotel in Cebu City.

The Passenger Accident Management and Insurance Agency Inc. (Pami), one of two government-accredited insurance firms, released an initial P40,000 a few days after the accident as immediate assistance.

The bus slammed into a concrete fence by the road in Don Andres Soriano road in Toledo City after turning an accident-prone blind corner.

Three of the 11-bus fleet owned by Dr. Antonio Yapha are still serving a 30-day suspension until they meet safety conditions set by the Land Transportation and Franchising Board – inspection for roadworthiness, and a drug test and safety seminar for all the drivers.

Pami chairman Eduardo Atayde said he would give and additional P10,000 from his own pocket to each bereaved family as his “advanced Christmas gift”, a gesture he said was something he didn’t have to do but “naawa ako. Witnessing something like this hurts me.”/Correspondent Tweeny M. Malinao