ON CHRISTMAS day while driving towards Valencia, Bohol, to spend Christmas with the Balagot-Maestrado family, we spent considerable time instead at the Loay Police Station because a young man driving a motorcycle bumped our rear damaging our taillight. Oh boy!
Immediately, the volunteer Bantay Bayan Task Force personnel called the young driver’s attention, but the former ignored it, prompting the police, who positioned themselves at the vicinity of the public market for police visibility, no doubt, to yell to compel him to stop. But this did not prevent the young man from driving away, causing the police to chase after him! What a commotion! It felt surreal, like watching a movie scene, on Christmas day at that!
We proceeded to the police station at Poblacion Ubos to file a report and wait for about two hours as advised for the driver to show up. Having felt the pangs of hunger, we asked if we could proceed to Valencia to execute our interrupted plan. Ten minutes on the road, we received a call informing us that the errant driver accompanied by family members was at the station.
By the time we returned to the station — after spending two hours in Valencia, we found out that the driver was a minor who got scared when motioned to halt by the law enforcement personnel and Bantay Bayan.
We drafted an agreement that the police witnessed; followed by the process of documenting the investigation report in the police blotter and thereafter signed by two parties; and we were on our way back to the city by early evening.
Well, it wasn’t the Christmas day we hoped for, but life happens, so we just need to accommodate impromptu moments, like being bumped on the rear by a motorcycle-driving teenager.
Which brings me to the present road safety of Tagbilaran City and the province of Bohol, especially given the accidents and worse, deaths resulting from these road mishaps. This Christmas season alone, I learned of two Taloto residents who died because of vehicular accidents. I visited the wake of my classmate’s mother who was a victim of a vehicular accident, and I couldn’t help but feel saddened and angered by the waste of human lives.
Taloto has become another route for vehicles going to and from the city. Unfortunately, motorcycle drivers, primarily, and other motorists drive so fast along this stretch even if it is a residential area. These alternative routes don’t have random checkpoints or an established safety monitoring system even if they traverse residential areas, hence, the physical injuries and worse, wastage of lives whenever a vehicular accident occurs.
My question to the city government of Tagbilaran and barangay leaders of these alternative routes like Taloto, what are the road safety precautions that you have implemented to protect the barangay residents from unnecessary danger? And to these motorists, who is the rightful authority to ensure that they follow traffic rules and road safety? I know this sounds like a broken record, but I don’t care, I will say it again: Who’s going to ensure that our roads are safe for pedestrians, residents, and other motorists? In the case of our broken taillight, why was the minor driving the motorcycle? He doesn’t have a license. He had no training in road safety. Whose job, is it?
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By 2026, I would have written for Panay News for seven straight years. Wow! What a ride! I want to thank all my readers and the sources of my stories for trusting me. Being trusted is an honor. Writing is my first belated love, haha, and it keeps me grounded. By now, you would have known that I use my platform to help my community and for my other advocacies. What’s life without advocacy, huh!
So, for New Year 2026, may family generational hurts and scars afflicting your hearts and souls be fully healed, and if they’re still bugging you, may you explore ways and means to find your own peace, so you can break free from old wounds. May the year 2026 bring you delight to make each day inspiring; comfort to make your life stress-free and easygoing, and love to encourage generosity. Above all, may God lead the way.
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Woman Talk with Belinda Sales will be back on the air beginning January 10, 2026 (Saturday) over 91.1 Balita FM Tagbilaran City. Send your email to belindabelsales@gmail.com. Follow us on X at @ShilohRuthie./PN
