The Provincial Government of Negros Occidental represented by Negros Occidental Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Alberto Nellas, Jr. and Project C.A.R.E.S. led by May Altarejos-Cueva, the Proponent and Overall Chairman of PROJECT C.A.R.E.S./Project CARES hosted the 2023 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims and Survivors at the Capitol Lagoon & Park on November 19.
The annual commemoration held yearly since 2006 or 18 years already by virtue of SP Resolution 0922 series of 2006 was participated by multi-sectoral representatives from the police, military, academe, and non-governmental organizations to support this global program to remember road traffic crash victims, their families, and survivors as well as emergency responders and health responders.
Rev. Fr. Norbert Maria Canada, MMHC officiated the memorial services starting with the Blessing of the Road Crash Victims Memorial Marker witnessed by victims’ families and survivors and the program partners and volunteers.
The blessing was followed by a PEOPLECADE simulating a solemn memorial walk towards the WDOR Road Safety Memorial Tree park area for the memorial mass.
In his homily, Fr. Canada told the mass-goers that we shall not only “remember what happened to the victims but importantly, work and take actions to prevent road traffic crashes that lead to injuries and death to happen to more people because there are already interventions proven to stop these road kills such as safe speed, helmet and seatbelt use, don’t drink and drive, and being safe pedestrians, among others.”
In the Mass, the life of Venerable Teofilo Camomot, who is a road crash victim was remembered and that he will be the third Filipino saint in the event Vatican approves his sainthood.
After the mass, there was blessing and pray over the survivors and victims' families, the drivers, vehicles and motorcycles of the government, PNP, Army and emergency ambulances. Candles were lighted and flowers were offered as the Save More Lives song by Monica Fernandez and Eugene Montenero were played.
The 2023 WDOR Program hosted by the Provincial Government was started with a poem entitled, “We are the Remembers"delivered by May Altarejos-Cueva, the Proponent and Overall Chairman of PROJECT C.A.R.E.S./Project CARES RS10p followed by messages of solidarity and commitment from the various government lead agencies and private sector program partners.
Project C.A.R.E.S. and the Negros Kali International Assn., Inc. together with Ms. Cynthia Reyes, the AVP-Advocacy of the Automobile Association of the Philippines and representing the Philippine Global Road Safety Partnership presented to the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental and Department of Education-Neg. Occ. Division as the first recipients of the Stay Bright Program for six (6) schools and the Traffic Safety Model Zone Program for the Negros Occidental Provincial High School.
Atty. Alberto Nellas, Jr. delivered the message of Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson. In closing, Arianne Enriquez, Youth Volunteer offered a closing song, “You Are the Reason.”*