Christmas tragedy

As predictable as the traditions of Christmas are the disasters that mark the holiday celebrations. On Dec. 20, 1987, the ferry Doña Paz collided with the oil tanker Vector in Tablas Strait. The official death toll in the world’s worst peacetime maritime disaster was placed at 4,341, but the number could be higher, considering the common practice of not keeping accurate passenger manifests. In the rush to go to the countryside during the Christmas break, passengers find themselves crammed like sardines in ferries and buses.

Overcrowding is not the only problem. Although some shipping and bus companies have started upgrading their fleets, many ferries and buses are still old and poorly maintained. Worse, ship crew sometimes lack training and qualifications while bus drivers get behind the wheel while drunk or high on drugs. There have been reports of drivers taking shabu to stay awake during long-haul trips – the reason some quarters have proposed drug tests for bus and truck drivers.

Tragedy once again struck, this time in Davao del Sur last Christmas Day. An overloaded bus plunged into a ravine along the Cotabato-Davao Highway. The death toll as of yesterday was 38, with around 40 others injured. Witnesses said the bus had picked up speed to avoid being overtaken by another bus near a bend in Bansalan town. In the race the second bus struck the first one from behind. The driver lost control of the first bus, which plunged into a ravine strewn with boulders. Reports said the driver, who was among those killed, had been drinking on Christmas Eve and appa-rently had a hangover.

Such accidents have become common during the holidays. What has the government done to prevent these tragedies? There aren’t enough ferries and public utility vehicles for the country’s booming population, but does the public have to put up forever with rolling or floating coffins steered by incompetent, inebriated men? Who pays for the lives lost in such accidents? The fact that many of these accidents occur during the Christmas season makes them even more tragic. When will the government act?