MANILA, Philippines – Own up to the mistake.

This what an online petition on Change.org is demanding of GV Florida Transport, the operator of an ill-fated bus that fell into a ravine in Bontoc, Mountain Province, but has reportedly not offered compensation to victims and survivors.

On February 7, a Florida bus with plate number TXT 872 fell into a ravine in Bontoc, killing 14 passengers on site. At least 32 more were injured.

The petition, which has 461 supporters as of posting, claims the family of comedian Arvin “Tado” Jimenez has yet to receive financial help from the company. Other victims, according to petitioner Deng Silorio, face the same problem.

One survivor who spoke to Rappler said a “representative” from the company visited them in the hospital to pay for medical costs. The “representative,” however, was not officially affiliated with GV Florida Transport and wouldn’t give them his name or any contact person at the bus company.

The system for claiming the financial compensation, said the victim, was “sketchy” at best. 

The owners of the bus company, through their lawyers, have promised to give due compensation to the victims and their families “once these are determined,” according to the petition.

Silorio wrote: “That is adding insult to injury. That is throwing salt on a wound. Even as the case winds through an abysmally slow justice system, we demand that G.V. Florida Transport pay NOW for all expenses related to injuries and deaths caused by their bus, without prejudice to any further redress the victims and their families may seek!”

The crash survivor, whose injuries are “less severe” than other passengers, has already incurred up to P50,000 in medical costs. The figure could go higher, said a family member.

One survivor, Dutch traveler Annemiek Verwegen told Rappler that while compensation isn’t a concern, she’s worried the bus company would get away scot-free. “In the Netherlands, there are rules. You can’t run a bus company unless it’s safe. I know things can be different in places like the Philippines, but there must be some control over it,” Verwegen said.

Verwegen’s friend and traveling companion Anne van de Ven was one of the casualties in the bus accident.

The Florida bus crash is the second of its kind to grab headlines in 2 months. In December last year, a Don Mariano bus fell from the Metro Manila Skyway, killing at least 18 people.

GV Florida’s franchise has since been suspended by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for 30-days pending an investigation. The LTFRB found that the ill-fated bus bound for Bontoc was not authorized to operate.

A hearing connected to the bus crash in Bontoc is scheduled at 9 am on February 19. – Rappler.com