MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / June 12, 2014) – Some wounds take a long time to heal. It has been four months since the GV Florida bus crash changed the lives of its passengers, permanently for some. Yet it seems as if GV Florida has moved on, getting back on the road under a fresh coat of paint and new plates, leaving their victims to eat the dust on their trail.
Survivors, families and friends of the victims gathered last June 7 at M. Earnshaw Street in Sampaloc, Manila to reiterate their demand for justice and road safety, something that they said should be the concern not only of the bereaved families and concerned friends but also of everyone who takes public transportation on a regular basis.
The street painting also sought to remind the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to remain true to their word of ensuring stricter enforcement of transportation laws and road safety measures.
According Dino Dimar, one of the survivors: “We are painting as part of our healing process. It is a way to let out our emotions in a creative, positive way; channeling our fear, anger, loss, hope, unrest into something that can help heal, bond, calm, and assure. We do this because of the love that we feel — for those who are here and those departed. We support each other’s healing. We get better, bit by bit, in our own time.”
The artist group Dakila, founded by Tado, one of those who perished in the crash, added, “As time passes and justice is delayed, there has been a clamor for a creative form of protest against forgetting and recurrence. We, the bereaved families, artist-friends, and volunteers from the public, endeavored to fight paint by paint.”
“We want to leave a visual and more permanent reminder that Florida crash victims are still seeking justice,” said Charley Sta. Maria, one of the survivors of the bus crash. “Even more so, we want the artwork to speak out as a challenge to GV Florida and government authorities to be completely answerable to the riding public.”
Victims, together with their families and friends, created one unifying image, which served as a bold reminder to GV Florida and government authorities to perform their jobs right to prevent another vehicular mishap.
Charley further said: “It was a call for integrity and utmost professionalism in public transport safety as well as a memoriam of the lives that were lost due to the irregularities in the public transport system. Again, the loss of these lives cannot and will not be in vain.”
In addition, the artist collective Dakila said, “Art is a symbolic act against oblivion, an indelible gesture that sends a message: we will not easily forget. We continue to extend our hand in reminding the LTFRB that they must ensure that companies adhere to road safety and transportation laws and policies, as well as in educating the public in remaining vigilant in their rights as commuters and citizens.”
Present during the gathering were survivors Stella Embile, Dino Dimar, Charley Sta. Maria. Together with them are families of the casualties, Ding and Mariel Baja (brother and sister of Gerard Baja), Chat and Bianca Baranda (wife and daughter of Don Baranda), Lei and Diosa Jimenez (wife and daughter of Tado Jimenez), Chris Cabardo (brother of Mylo Cabardo), and Lito Vasquez (uncle of Bam Morillo).
In ending, Dino Dimar said: “We are doing this because we don’t want people to forget, we want things to improve, and we don’t want it to happen again. We are doing this not just for the victims of the GV Florida bus crash but for all commuters who deserve to be assured that their lives are in safe hands because people are doing their responsibilities right. Ito’s hindi lang para sa amin. Ito’y para sa lahat. (This is not just for us. It’s for everybody.)”
Three days after the street painting, the panels where the faces of the victims were installed went missing. Organizers can only speculate who does not want to be reminded of the grave tragedy. (Dakila Philippines)
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