NAIA Terminal 1 traffic aide, binalikan ang mala-himalang pagkaligtas sa kapahamakan noong Mayo 4

- NAIA Terminal 1 traffic aide shared her “close call” experience when she narrowly avoided being struck by the speeding SUV last May 4

- Florence Flores, the traffic aide who was present during the fatal SUV rampage, described hearing the SUV’s engine repeatedly revving up before surging forward

- During the interview, the aide said at the time, she could only expressed her gratitude to the Almighty for narrowly escaping what could be a serious outcome

- Despite the trauma, Flores remained committed to assisting airport passengers

A traffic aide stationed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 has shared her harrowing experience of narrowly escaping death when a speeding SUV careened through the departure area on May 4th, an incident that tragically resulted in two fatalities.

Florence Flores, a traffic aide at the terminal, recounted her close call in a recent interview, shedding light on the chaotic moments leading up to the fatal crash.

In the widely circulated video footage of the incident, a vehicle can be seen suddenly accelerating and crashing into the terminal.

Flores identified herself as the person standing directly in the path of the out-of-control Ford Everest as it lurched forward.

“Ako po yung naiwasan, ako po yung nakatayo dun mismo sa line po sa dulo ng line ng pinagpaparadahan po ng mga naghahatid,” she stated, explaining she was positioned at the end of the designated drop-off line for vehicles.

Recalling the moments before the impact, Flores said she was standing with her back partially turned to the approaching vehicle when she heard the sound of an engine revving up repeatedly.

“Nag ‘engg engg’, Ganyan na ganyan po, dalawang beses,” she said, mimicking the sound generated by the vehicle engine revving up.

Initially, she didn’t realize the revving engine belonged to the vehicle that was about to speed towards her.

She speculated that the driver might have been confused, perhaps pressing the accelerator while the vehicle wasn’t moving.

“Nung pangatlong ‘ennggg’ (mimics an engine revving up) na niya,” Flores continued, “saka na po siya dumiretso.”

It was only then that she realized the imminent danger. Despite the near-death experience, Flores expressed profound gratitude for her survival.

“Nung time na yun, sabi ko lang po ‘thank you Lord’ at nandito pa rin ako at magbibigay pa rin ng serbisyo sa ating mga passenger,” the traffic aide recounted.

Flores, who has been working as a traffic aide for almost three years, having recently been transferred to NAIA Terminal 1 in September, bravely continued her duties even after the shocking incident.

“Magpapatuloy pa rin po ako na magsiserbisyo sa ating mga passenger na dumarating at umaalis po,” she affirmed, emphasizing her dedication to her work.

“Kasi nandito po sa ating puso ang maglingkod po sa ating mga kababayan,” she conluded.

When asked about her family's reaction, Flores, who is single but supports her mother, shared that upon seeing the CCTV footage, her mother simply said, “Praise God.”

Despite the trauma, Flores's immediate reaction after narrowly escaping the speeding vehicle was to continue assisting other vehicles arriving at the departure area.

“Actually po habang ako'y nag-aassist eh, tumutulo ang luha ko at di ko alam na ganun po ang nangyari po talaga,” she recounted, highlighting her resilience and commitment to her duty even in the face of extreme shock.

Her story serves as a powerful testament to the unexpected dangers faced by airport personnel and the split-second reactions that can mean the difference between life and death.

News, photos or videos that arouse the interest of netizens would often go viral on social media, due to the attention netizens give them. These viral posts appeal to the emotions of netizens, and in rare cases, such could also happen to ordinary people, making them very relatable.

In other news, LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz said the driver was under maintenance medic@tion for hypertension, which may have caused drowsiness leading to the fatal SCTEX accident. The bus driver confessed to dozing off during the trip, which resulted in the tragic Solid North crash along SCTEX that killed at least 10 people. Dr. Kevin Cortes pointed out that sleepiness from hypertension medic@tion is rare and emphasized that other conditions like uncontrolled hypertension or diabetes could also be factors. Atty. Alex Versoza, legal counsel for Solid North, stated that the driver had not taken his maintenance medic@tion on the day of the incident.

Still in other news, a truck driver died after getting involved in a multi-vehicle collision in Rodriguez, Rizal. A truck carrying a backhoe crashed into a “kolong-kolong,” and then pushed it into another truck. According to a witness, the truck carrying the backhoe lurched forward after the driver parked it to adjust its cargo. The kolong-kolong, a type of motorized tricyle, was caught in a sandwich in the collision between two trucks.

Source: KAMI.com.gh