Tragedy struck at the Tarlac City Toll Plaza on the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway last Thursday, leaving 10 people dead, including a wife and her 9-year-old child. Elmer Añonuevo, the heartbroken father, still struggles to grasp the painful reality.
Before they left for a church camp in Pangasinan, his youngest child shared a touching promise: “Papa, tatawag ka sa ’kin ha. ‘Pag hindi, ako tatawag sa iyo.” Those were their last words.
“Wala na. ‘Yung pinakamamahal kong anak, ‘yung bunso ko, sila ng asawa ko,” Añonuevo sobbed, his grief raw and uncontained. He recalls how his child always told him, “Love na love kita, Papa. Kahit ano’ng mangyari, hindi kita iiwan. Hanggang sa magtanda ka, aalagaan kita.” Now, Añonuevo is left asking himself how to move on when his loved ones left him first.
The devastating collision involved a bus, a van, an SUV, and an 18-wheeler truck. Officials said the van and SUV were crushed between the large vehicles, likening the wreckage to “sardinas na sama-sama.” Rescue teams struggled to extricate victims carefully because of how tightly they were trapped.
Among those who perished were four children. A lone survivor emerged from the van—a 4-year-old child. In a tragic twist, a couple in the SUV died while their 2-year-old son survived with only minor injuries, safely strapped in his car seat. The boy’s family was reportedly heading to Baguio for a vacation. He has since been transferred to a hospital in Bulacan, where his parents’ remains also now rest.
At least 35 passengers on the bus suffered injuries. While most were minor—abrasions and bruises—three patients were admitted for cerebral concussion and remain under observation.
Tarlac’s Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) pledged to cover the victims’ medical expenses and assist their families with funeral arrangements. Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) imposed a 30-day suspension on Solid North Transit Inc., the bus company involved. The LTFRB also assured that each deceased victim’s family will receive P400,000 in insurance benefits.
This tragic event has left a community mourning and asking how such a calamity could happen on a busy expressway. As families grieve, the authorities vow to hold responsible parties accountable while extending support to those left behind.