Bicol Isarog sleeper bus damaged by suspected rock-throwing

“Temporarily down agad sa isa sa pinakabagong bus ng BITSI,” wrote DL Spots in a Facebook post.

The bus belonged to the Ultimate Sleeper line, a fleet of six brand-new sleeper buses traversing Naga, Camarines Sur; Daraga, Albay; and Sorsogon from Cubao, Quezon City. The fleet made its maiden voyage on July 3, according to the BITSI Facebook page.

Bus enthusiasts expressed concern, wishing for proper repairs to be done soon on the brand-new unit. While no cause for the damage was publicly shared, many believed it was caused by rock-throwers.

Provincial commuters have shared that passersby tend to throw rocks at bus windows, especially when Bicol-bound buses traverse Quezon province.

Passengers report that bus conductors will request for window curtains to be drawn once entering Quezon, even in the daytime, to supposedly prevent injuries from thrown rocks and broken glass.

“Ito yung asal ng ibang mga kababayan natin na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin nahihinto. Nagsusumikap ang mga bus company na mapaganda ang serbisyo at mapaganda ang mga pampublikong sasakyan ngunit patuloy naman ang pagperwisyo ng mga ilan katulad nito,” said one Facebook user.

Netizens called on authorities in Quezon province to crack down on passersby who throw rocks due to the safety concerns faced by commuters. Reports from 2018 describe how provinces with similar complaints, such as Ilocos Norte, took steps to strengthen law enforcement and investigations around rock-throwing incidents. However, no reports are available about actions taken by the Quezon government to address the issue.

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