Antique mishap: Bus inspector, collector hailed as heroes

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The inspector and fare collector of a passenger bus that recently fell into a ravine in Antique have been hailed as heroes for risking their lives to save the passengers.

Eighteen people, including two employees of the bus company, died in the accident that occurred on Dec. 5 in Barangay Igbucagay, Hamtic town.

Jayvoni Fandagani, inspector of the Ceres Liner Bus, saved teacher Mica Marie Servano while fare collector Wilmar Marcelino protected other passengers including a child as the bus rolled down the cliff.

“Although Servano suffered several contusions, she survived because Fandagani protected her,” according to a statement issued by The Vallacar Transit Inc. (VTI), operator of the Ceres Liner Bus.

Meanwhile, Marcelino had been a fare collector for the VTI for 10 years. He left behind his wife and two children, who are minors. He died shielding a pregnant woman and a child from the impact.

The VTI has established help desks to assist the families of the fatalities as well as the 11 injured passengers, who are being treated at the Iloilo Western Hospital and Iloilo Mission Hospital in Iloilo City as well as Angel Salazar Medical Hospital in San Jose, Antique.

The help desks are located in the hospitals and manned by employees of the company, who facilitate the provision of needs to the victims.