The body of Ms Babylyn Perea was flown back to her hometown in Lian, Batangas aboard Philippine Airlines on Friday, June 18, 2016. Her remains will be laid to rest on Tuesday, June 21.
Perea, 28, was among the 11 teachers and staff from Koom Klao Scholar School in Minburi who were killed on June 10 when their van crashed into a concrete barrier and burst into flames on the Chonburi-Bangkok motorway in Chonburi province.
Another Filipina teacher who was also in the van luckily survived. The school owner, director, assistant director and other Thai teachers were among those who did not survive.
Preparations for her repatriation were made last week by a parent from the school who acted as the representative in the absence of the school owner, director and assistant director. All expenses including plane ticket worth 80,000 baht was paid by the school. Her family was also advised to open a bank account.
The Philippine Embassy thru Mr Nel Amurao of the Assistance to Nationals (ATN); Perea’s cousin Mr Arnaldo Balbar who flew from Singapore to Thailand; and Ms Melody Rafael who took a leave from her school also helped in processing the documents needed.
Through a message on Facebook, Ms Melinda Perea thanked all Filipinos in Thailand who helped repatriate her daughter’s body. She also expressed her gratitude to her daughter’s friends whom she got acquainted with during the five years of her stay in the kingdom.
“My daughter was very kind and she always thought of helping me and her siblings,” said the elder Perea in a message sent to Rafael.
Babylyn was the only girl among seven siblings. She came and started working in Thailand in 2011 upon the invitation of her friend Juan Carlos Dilan.
The accident also took Babylyn away from her boyfriend of six years who lives and works in the Philippines as a government employee.
While in Thailand, Perea became actively involved in raising funds and looking for donors to help typhoon and calamity victims in the Philippines. One occasion was during typhoon Yolanda in 2014 which crippled Leyte province. Perea was instrumental in getting two vans full of relief goods and some cash donations from her school which were all sent to the victims.
On Sunday, Perea’s friends were able to collect 5,000 baht to help her family. Those who want to extend their help financially can deposit any amount to the account below. Dilan is the close and trusted friend of Perea and her family.
Juan Carlos Dilan.
Bangkok Bank
018-029667-5
