By ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
THE RISING number of road accidents in Negros Occidental during the ongoing sugar milling season has become a serious concern for Negrenses.
A report from the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) of the Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office (NOCPPO) revealed that from September 2024 to January 2025, a total of 375 road accidents were recorded across the province.
The primary culprits? Parked sugarcane trucks along major highways, with most incidents occurring at night.
According to the police, this alarming number of road mishaps has led to cases of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, physical injuries, property damage, and other related offenses.
However, NOCPPO director Colonel Rainerio de Chavez noted that the number of road accidents during this period actually reflected a 22.68% decrease compared to the 485 incidents recorded from September 2023 to January 2024.
Despite this decline, NOCPPO remains committed to addressing vehicular accidents caused by sugarcane trucks across the province.
“Our objective is to reduce road accident rates by promoting safe driving practices, ensuring proper vehicle maintenance, and strictly enforcing traffic laws,” De Chavez emphasized.
During the sugar milling season, trucks loaded with sugarcane — many of them parked along highways or experiencing mechanical issues — are a common sight in Negros Occidental.
The milling season in the province typically begins in July and concludes in April of the following year. However, due to the El Niño phenomenon that severely affected Negros Occidental from January to April last year, the milling season was delayed and only began in September.
REMEMBERING KOKOI
On January 30, tragedy struck when two Criminology students from Carlos Hilado Memorial State University (CHMSU) in Binalbagan lost their lives in a road accident involving a sugarcane-laden truck.
The victims, John Martin Granfield and Jasper Hern Ta-ala, both 22 years old and residents of Barangay II-Poblacion, Himamaylan, were traveling towards Binalbagan on a single motorcycle when they encountered mechanical trouble. Moments later, they crashed into a parked sugarcane truck along the national highway in Hacienda Silos, Barangay Talaban, Himamaylan City, at around 8 p.m.
Their tragic deaths reignited discussions about the long-standing problem of sugarcane-laden trucks parked along Negros Occidental’s highways, which have been frequently cited as major contributors to road accidents—many of them fatal.
The incident also brought back memories of Negrense reggae artist Kokoi Baldo, who similarly perished in a road mishap involving a sugarcane truck.
Baldo, whose real name was Juan Manuel Ubaldo, died in the early hours of December 8, 2023, when his motorcycle collided with a parked sugarcane truck along Circumferential Road in Purok Tultugan, Barangay Mandalagan, Bacolod City. He was on his way home to Barangay Estefania, Bacolod after a performance the night before when the fatal crash occurred.
Baldo, a grand finalist in ABS-CBN’s The Voice Season 2 in 2015, died instantly. His passing left a deep void in the local music scene and served as yet another grim reminder of the dangers posed by sugarcane trucks on Negros Occidental’s roads.
PASSION FOR ROAD SAFETY
May Altarejos-Cueva, a volunteer for Project C.A.R.E.S. (Community Active Reaching to Everyone through Services), became emotional upon hearing the tragic news about Kokoi Baldo and, more recently, John Martin Granfield and Jasper Hern Ta-ala.
The incidents immediately brought back painful memories of her own brother, Augusto Altarejos, who also perished in a road accident along Bangga Pepsi, Barangay Bata, Bacolod City, on April 7, 1995.
It was this personal loss that fueled Altarejos-Cueva’s passion for road safety advocacy. Since 2000, she has been actively involved in Project C.A.R.E.S., promoting road safety through the “3Cs” approach:
1. Car Condition – Ensuring vehicles are well-maintained before hitting the road.
2. Driver’s Condition – Checking if drivers are fit to operate their vehicles.
3. Road Condition – Assessing potential hazards before traveling.
For 25 years, she has worked tirelessly to educate drivers in Negros Occidental, but she admits that achieving zero road accidents remains an elusive goal.
“We still have a long way to go,” she admitted.
Every February 15, however, Project C.A.R.E.S. never fails to commemorate the “Remember Me” event—a solemn tribute to Negrenses who have lost their lives in road accidents.
“It’s heartbreaking, but we will never miss this occasion because it reminds us of our loved ones whose lives were lost in tragic yet preventable road mishaps,” she said.
Meanwhile, NOCPPO Director Colonel Rainerio de Chavez reaffirmed their commitment to road safety.
“While it may not be possible to prevent all accidents, we can reduce risks through vigilance and accountability,” he stressed.
To achieve this, NOCPPO has ordered all police stations in Negros Occidental’s 31 cities and towns to strictly enforce traffic laws, including parking regulations on national, provincial, city, and municipal roads.
Police chiefs across the province have also been directed to:
* Educate the public through information campaigns.
* Conduct regular road patrols to monitor compliance.
* Collaborate with local government units and other agencies to enhance road safety measures, including the installation of proper lighting and signage in accident-prone areas.
PROTECTING LIVES
Road safety is often an underrated issue, both by the public and the media. However, at its core, road safety is about protecting and saving lives — a cause that deserves more attention and urgency. This is why May Altarejos-Cueva’s passion for road safety advocacy is not only commendable but also deeply relatable.
Striving for zero road accidents or even significantly reducing mishaps is a noble pursuit. Yet, the reckless norms among drivers of sugarcane-laden trucks seem difficult to reverse.
One of the biggest challenges? Educating these drivers on the proper use of early warning devices when parking along highways.
Why is this so difficult?
Many of these truck drivers come from poor educational backgrounds, with some having never even finished elementary school. This is the harsh reality — one that is too critical to ignore.
And this is exactly why, when it comes to road accidents, too many lives are lost due to an often overlooked yet preventable cause: Functional illiteracy among drivers.
Is there still hope?
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) holds the key./PN
