Friday the 13th last year, at about 6 p.m., fellow VERA Files writer and trustee, Chit Estella was riding in a taxi for a reunion dinner with high school classmates at UP Ayala TechnoHub .
A rampaging Universal Guiding Star bus rammed the taxi along Commonwealth Avenue. Chit never made it to the dinner.
On Sunday, on the first anniversary of her passing, Chit’s family will hold a Metro-Manila wide Run for Road Safety for all victims of road crashes.
UP professor Roland Simbulan, Chit’s husband, said he has linked up with Families of other Road Victims and Survivors and formed FRVS to make Metro Manila roads safer. Other convenors include former Bulacan governor Roberto “Obet” Pagdanganan and Figaro Executive Pepe Alcantara.
Roland said Sunday’s Run for Road Safety will be coming from four points of MetroManila: Antipolo, Quirino Grandstand, Gateway Cubao and Fairview. They will start at 5:30 a.m. These runs will all converge at the Quezon City Memorial Circle atabout 9:00 a.m. where a coordinated program will be held.
Those who can’t participate in the run may go direct to Quezon City Memorial Circle.
The run, organized by FVRS is sponsored and coordinated with many civic organizations – the DOTC, MMDA, LTO, LTFRB, Automobile Association of the Philippines, Motorcycles clubs, bicycle clubs/cyclist clubs and commuters association.
We hope you can join us on Sunday.
Today, the UP college of Mass Communication, where Chit was a member of the faculty at the time of her death, will hold a mass for Chit at 10 a.m at the College auditorium.
Chit’s family and VERA Files have also established the Chit Estella Awards for Journalism which will honor the year’s best journalistic report and photo essay in print and online—the media Simbulan worked in.The awards are intended to keep alive the excellent and principled journalism Simbulan had always engaged in.
Kahit gumapang pa kayo diyan. O di kaya e, magkandirit tayo for road safety o kung ano pang pwedeng gawin para magpromote ng road safety, kung yung mismong mga motorista ay walang disiplina at maghahari-harian sa lansangan, mangyayary pa rin ang mga aksidente.
Ang ridiculuosly incredible ay, kahit na yung may mga pinag-aralan naman, baluraha sa lansangan.
A Few years ago, A Pakistani Taxi Driver doing a 12 hours shift trying to save money so he can bring his wife and children to join him, in a the quite of an early morning, suddenly two Racing Mercedes Benzes t-bonned his taxi and thus ended his life…the drivers are two teenagers doing street racings their parents’ cars….there were indignation all over…The Chief of Police lobbied for the Stunt Driving Law, the Reverse Onus law…that anyone driving over 50 the Speed Limit and caught will automaticall be suspended for 7 days, car impounded at his expense and found guilty with get fined a Minumum of $5000 max of $10000 and suspension of License and repeat offense will get lost the privilege of driving…the Taxi Driver’s wife and children were granted the Visa and won a Very Generous Damage suit against the Two Drivers that will give them a good start…
Now every now and then, especially during the Holliday the Police will do Blitz to enforce the Stunt Driving Law…a law to recognize that any life lost unnecessarilly is just as precious…
Off Topic:
A Chinese reporter planted a chinese flag on the Shoal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-8x-0VC-YBM