Ifugao community gives aid to accident victims

LAGAWE, Ifugao - The Department of Education personnel here, pupils, students and parents donated a total amount of P117,520 to Boy Scout victims of a vehicular accident in Aguinaldo town January 30.

Education Supervisor Arsenio Yongoyong, representing the Boy Scout of the Philippines (BSP)-Ifugao, said the amount which was donated by the 11 school districts in the province was used to defray expenses such hospital bill of the victims and donation to the bereaved family of Lawrence Digaw, a student of the Kiangan National High School.

Records obtained from the police show that at about 2:00-3:00 PM of January 30, 2013, a jeep loaded with senior scouts from the said school was traversing the hilly portion of Barangay Ubao in Aguinaldo town when it encountered a mechanical defect which caused the sad vehicle to fall on its side resulting to the death of Digaw and serious injuries to Richard Dumangeng, another student; Irene Manghi, their teacher and the driver.

Mayor Clemente Talosig of Aguinaldo and the police force headed by PSI Julio Nalliw, the Chief of Police and Red Cross-Ifugao Chapter who were at the town center which is 5-7 kilometers away from the accident site responded immediately and brought the victims to the nearest hospital but Digaw was proclaimed dead on arrival.

As of press time Manghi and Dumangeng are still recuperating in different hospitals in the province and in Nueva Vizcaya.

DEPED officials and local government officials decided to shorten the three days camping to one day only due to the accident. (Vency Bulayungan)