ILOILO City – A personnel of the city government’s Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) collapsed at his house hours after wrapping up his task on Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue (also called Diversion Road) in Mandurriao district and eventually died in the hospital.
Searing heat and exhaustion may have resulted to the cardiac arrest of 50-year-old Sanny Ballentos of Barangay Mansaya, Lapuz district, said PSTMO chief Jeck Conlu.
The traffic situation on the avenue has been on the public spotlight since June 15 when a fatal vehicular accident there killed a public elementary school principal and his teacher wife. The PSTMO has been double its effort to restore order on this busy highway.
Ballentos, a member of PSTMO’s Public Safety Unit roving team, died yesterday at St. Paul’s Hospital Iloilo, a day after collapsing on Wednesday.
According to PSTMO chief Jeck Conlu, Ballentos was one of his office’s responders posted on the Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue since June 17 following the June 15 accident.
Ballentos mentioned not feeling well and having a headache on Wednesday but still decided to continue working that day, said Conlu.
The PSTMO would be releasing assistance to the Ballentos family.
Conlu said Ballentos was also one of several PSTMO traffic aides who accompanied him in inspecting the Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue underpass on Wednesday and helped guide people crossing pedestrian lanes.
PSTMO personnel / traffic aides assisting pedestrians crossing the avenue is one of several short-term measures identified to ease traffic congestion and vehicular accidents on the busy highway following the accident.
The other short-term measures suggested were painting rumble strips a few meters before and after pedestrian lanes; duty hours of traffic aides must start early – 5. a.m. instead of the current 8 a.m.; and for all pedestrian lanes on the avenue to have traffic aides.
One long-term measure suggested by Mayor-elect Jerry Treñas was reviving the stalled intelligent transport or traffic system proposed as early as 2017 by then mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog./PN
