Tragic SCTEX Accident Kills 10, Including 4 minors, at Tarlac Toll Plaza
A deadly SCTEX accident claimed the lives of 10 individuals, including four minors, and left at least 37 others injured on Thursday, May 1, after a passenger bus crashed into multiple vehicles waiting at the Tarlac City Toll Plaza.
According to police reports, the Solid North-operated bus was speeding when it slammed into four other vehicles: an SUV, a van, an MPV, and a closed van truck.
Authorities confirmed that the bus driver had fallen asleep while driving, a factor believed to have caused the SCTEX accident.
“Yun pong apat na sasakyan is nakapila na po dun sa SCTEX sa toll plaza toll booth and then yung panglimang sasakyan ito po yung Solid North Transit bus, mabilis po ‘yang takbo niyan, binangga po niya yung mga nakapila po na apat na sasakyan,” (The four vehicles were already lined up at the SCTEX toll plaza toll booth, and then the fifth vehicle, which was the Solid North Transit bus, was moving very fast and crashed into the four vehicles that were in line.), said P/Lt. Col. Rommel Santos, Tarlac City’s police chief. The driver admitted he had dozed off moments before the crash.
The bus driver and conductor have been placed under police custody. The driver now faces charges of reckless imprudence, resulting in multiple homicides, physical injuries, and property damage.
Victims were rushed to the Tarlac Provincial Hospital for emergency treatment. The identities of the deceased are being confirmed while authorities are contacting families.
LTFRB Suspends Buses and Orders Safety Checks
Following the toll plaza accident, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) suspended fifteen buses operated by Solid North under the Dagupan Bus. The preventive suspension will last thirty days, pending safety compliance by the bus company.
The LTFRB has also ordered the operator to conduct a roadworthiness inspection for all suspended units, require drivers to attend a road safety seminar, undergo mandatory drug testing, and submit complete video documentation of all these activities.
The operator must surrender all physical license plates of the suspended units to the LTFRB. Enforcement authorities will immediately impound any bus found operating despite the suspension.
In light of the SCTEX accident, the LTFRB has directed the Passenger Accident Management and Insurance Agency (PAMI) to expedite insurance claims.
Each deceased passenger’s family will receive Php 400,000 in compensation. Victims who were not passengers, such as motorists or pedestrians affected by the traffic accident, are eligible for up to Php 200,000.
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon voiced concerns over the long hours bus drivers are often forced to endure.
Dizon asked during an interview with GMA Network. “If the driver was sleepy, we need to ask, how long had he been working? Was he pushed beyond safe limits?”
A Grim Reminder of Road Safety Issues in the Philippines
Deadly road incidents like the SCTEX accident are unfortunately not new in the Philippines. In 2023, a similar tragedy occurred in the central Philippines when a bus crash claimed the lives of 17 people. The crash was caused by brake failure on a notoriously dangerous winding mountain road, underscoring the critical importance of proper vehicle maintenance, especially for public transport vehicles navigating challenging terrains.
Most recently, a nationwide crackdown revealed that 84 public utility drivers had tested positive for illegal drugs, prompting widespread concern across the transport sector.
Public transportation groups and civic leaders call for deeper reforms in the sector. These include better enforcement of working hour limits, more frequent vehicle inspections, and random drug testing.
One witness who passed the scene described the aftermath as “horrific,” with mangled vehicles and injured passengers sprawled on the ground.
Photo: Philippine Red Cross via Facebook
