MARAMAG, Bukidnon — What was meant to be a routine commute back to camp turned into a terrifying ordeal when an overloaded cargo truck spilled dozens of student interns onto a national highway on Wednesday evening, July 15, 2026.

At least six on-the-job training (OJT) students from Davao Oriental State University (DOrSU) were injured—with one currently fighting for their life—after falling from the moving vehicle in Barangay Dologon.

The victims, who belong to DOrSU's Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, are currently stationed in Bukidnon for their internship at the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) located inside the Central Mindanao University (CMU) Dairy Farm.

According to Major Joann Navarro, spokesperson for the Police Regional Office-Northern Mindanao (PRO-10), roughly 55 DOrSU student interns flagged down an Isuzu Elf truck at past 8:00 PM to hitch a ride back to their campus boarding houses amid heavy rainfall. Out of compassion, the driver permitted the massive group of students to pile into the back of the open cargo bed.

However, as the overloaded truck navigated the Lumbo–Dologon national highway, the extreme weight proved too much for the vehicle's structural constraints. The lock securing the truck’s side railing suddenly snapped and gave way, instantly throwing several students onto the wet asphalt while the truck was in motion.

While dozens of student interns suffered minor scrapes and bruises from the spill, six required immediate hospitalization. One student sustained severe, life-threatening injuries and was urgently transferred to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Davao City for specialized trauma care at the request of the DOrSU administration. Meanwhile, three other students remain admitted to a local Bukidnon hospital in stable condition, and the remaining passengers have been treated and cleared by medical staff.

Following the harrowing incident, initial local reports mistakenly identified the victims as CMU students. CMU administration quickly clarified the mix-up, confirming that the interns were visiting delegates from DOrSU’s main campus in Mati City, Davao Oriental.

DOrSU President Dr. Roy G. Ponce immediately traveled to Bukidnon to personally oversee the emergency response. In an official statement, the university vowed total support for the victims:

DOrSU Official Statement: "The University remains in close coordination with the affected students, their families, and the concerned medical institutions. We are closely monitoring the condition of every injured student to ensure medical, counseling, and logistical needs are met."

Despite the severity of the accident, local police revealed that the families of the victims have chosen not to file criminal charges against the truck driver. Authorities confirmed that an amicable settlement has already been reached between the driver and the families, acknowledging that the driver acted out of a desire to shield the stranded students from the storm. Nonetheless, traffic investigators have issued a stern warning to local motorists regarding the extreme dangers of overloading vehicles, even during emergencies.