Grave Threats to Safety of People Involved in Mural of Faces of Casualties of Florida Crash forced Families and Survivors to take down Art Work in front of Florida Bus Terminal.
Due to grave threats received on the safety and well-being of people involved in this peaceful expression of loss, grief, and hope, we will be bringing the mural panels down to avoid any untoward incident that may be brought about by people who do not understand what these art works are about.
To state it clearly, this artwork (Every Bus Is A Bus Full of Dreamers) is an expression of grief and loss, of longing and missing, and of finding meaning for the families of the victims and the survivors. It is also an expression of desire for change.
The paintings are intended to evoke emotions: value for life, sympathy for the families of the departed, care for all current passengers, and the motivation to assure that all public utility vehicles are on the road after extraordinary diligence have been given to assure the safety of all passengers.
It is a reminder that every bus is a bus full of dreamers; that every passenger has a dream, may it be for oneself or others. It is a reminder that among us are fathers and mothers who travel to work and back, dreaming to provide the best for their families; students, who dream of brighter futures; travelers, who dream to see places, interact with different people, and in the process enriching themselves and making new bonds; and missionaries, who go to places most people would not go just to help, educate, evangelize, and reach out.
This mural symbolizes who we are and who are riding our buses. It also humanizes the people we lose when we don’t do our responsibilities right. They are us and we are them.
The smiling faces here belong to six of the fifteen passengers who perished in a bus crash early this year. They were artists. We chose to feature their smiling faces because they lived their lives fully and we are thankful they shared their lives with us. Like them, may we live our lives fully. They are reminding us to value the life that we have and make the most of it.
Now they smile as you go on your way to your destinations, wishing you a safe journey and are interceding for you for God’s grace and guidance. They are bidding you a safe trip, confident you will be reaching your destination safe and sound.
What happened in February 7, 2014 is something we do not want to happen again. We continue our call for improvements in our transport system. From government officials and offices, to transport service providers, down to everyday commuters, let us all do our share in making public and private transport safe.
If there are people who see it as a threat in any way, then it is unfortunate that they are missing the message. What is more unfortunate is when people resort to violence when what we are calling for is improvement in public service, particularly in the public transport. (dakila.philippines@gmail.com)
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