Have we forgotten how safe public travel should

Have we forgotten how safe public travel should | Daily Tribune

Have you ever had dreams of a plane crashing? You might have thought it was a premonition, and it could haunt you forever. Airplanes in dreams mean flying, liberation and the ability to rise above current situations such those involving family, work, or even a personal relationship. The plane symbolizes your control and the crash could mean a disruption. But what if the dreams become reality. Like what happened recently to a London to Singapore flight on which one passenger died and at least 30 were injured when the Boeing plane flew into extreme turbulence.

One of the passengers recalled people going completely horizontal, being thrown up against the ceiling and falling back down on the floor. Photos going viral on the internet showed plates, baggage, and personal things littering the airplane floor. The Singapore Transport Safety Investigation Bureau is conducting an investigation and the pilot and the CEO of Singapore Airlines apologized to the passengers and their families.

In the Philippines last Tuesday, a flight instructor and his student pilot were injured after their Cessna 172 crashed in the waters off San Fernando City in La Union. It may be recalled that it was also in a Cessna that four people were killed last year near Mt. Mayon. Also last year, two persons died after a Cessna crashed in Apayao province. Cessnas seem to be very much involved in the history of plane crashes in the country.

Of course, sea vessels are not exempt from mishaps. According to the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), between 2018 and 2023 there were 782 maritime accidents.

These included the capsizing of the MB Aya Express in Binangonan, RIzal which killed 27 people; the fire on the MV Lady Mary Joy in Basilan which killed 33 people; and the blaze on the MV Espranza Star in Panglao, Bohol where fortunately no one was killed.

These are some of the reasons senators pushed for the passage of Republic Act 11058 or an Act Strengthening Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Standards.

These scenes are what we do not want to encounter ever as passengers on public transport, whether bus, plane, or sea craft. The safety and convenience of the people should always be top priority. These should be a wake-up call to review the transportation safety precautions for land, sea, and air transport in general.

Transportation leaders have come and gone, but the situation remains the same. Modernization is the key, like in the case of ports.

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) through general manager Jay Santiago is coordinating closely with the Philippine Coast Guard to prevent sea accidents and avert alarming scenarios in and out of the ports, including putting up a strong one-line communication system that will send an SOS to the PCG when detected by the PPA at sea and putting up the first K-9 academy in Southeast Asia with the PCG set to open in July.

Marina should prioritize stricter measures for ships when it comes to safety at sea, maybe having more requirements before a passenger vessel leaves port to avoid finger-pointing and the blame game when sea accidents happen.

The plane symbolizes your control and the crash could mean a disruption.

The same thing with aviation. The recent Cessna plane crash should be thoroughly investigated. Did the aircraft need maintenance? Was the pilot training updated? Do passengers know the regulations when flying? We need to know what went wrong and from there we need to learn to prevent them from happening again and again.

Sea and air accidents are nothing new, but do we stop there? We never learn, yet we always have no one to blame or to hold to account. The government agencies should be responsible for making the travel of passengers safe and convenient. We need to change this mindset of "puede na" (it’ll do) in terms of passenger safety on land, water, or air.

We need to see progress and clear plans from the Philippine transport sector when it comes to policy because no amount of money can compensate for the lives lost due to transport accidents.

Travel is vital to keep the economy afloat. Passengers' lives are even more vital to keep the economy going.

Every Filipino has the right to a safe, convenient, and secure public transport, after all, we are in the same boat!