By Ma. Teresa Montemayor/PNA
MANILA — The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday expressed its condolences to the family of the Grade 11 student who was one of the 11 victims of a vehicular mishap last March 1 in Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental.
In a statement, DepEd said Justine Generoso of Basay National High School died on Wednesday at the Silliman University Medical Center Intensive Care Unit (SUMC-ICU) in Dumaguete City.
“They were on their way home from a regional Mathematics contest in Cebu City when their public utility van collided with an oncoming truck. Five of his teammates died instantly in the tragic incident,” the statement read.
According to medical reports, Generoso suffered from blunt chest trauma, multiple rib fractures, acute tubular necrosis, and subcutaneous emphysema, and was under intensive care since his admission.
On Monday, Education Secretary Leonor Briones asked the public to donate to families of the five other patients who are still in the hospital.
Briones said DepEd has received a total of PHP1.5 million from DepEd officials, employees and the public.
“By our calculations, it will take PHP10 million for students to fully recover. These learners belong to low-income households. They need continued medication, physical rehabilitation, surgery, and psycho-social intervention,” she said.
