Philippines Tops Among Countries with Most Selfie-Related Accidents

Jan 08, 2016 update:

A college student from Manila died when she fell off of the rooftop of a condominium. The accident took place while the teenager was taking her selfie on the said building.

The woman was identified as Kristina Marie Pagalilauan. She is a 19-year old Mass Communications Student. Kristina was supposed to graduate next year at Adamson University, but this won’t happen anymore.

According to the police report, she fell off from the roof-deck of the 20-storey building as she was taking a selfie. The woman was with her friend when they visited her boyfriend’s condominium located in Ermita, Manila.

Before she fell on the ground, she was able to grab and hold on to the part of the building but she lost grip when her friend could not reach her.

More than a year after the Cities of Taguig and Makati declared as “Selfie Capital of the World”, the Philippine is now making a new record, as the country with most selfie-related accidents.

Let’s take a look at some fatal and serious incidents involving selfie since March 2014 – the month when Makati and Taguig were considered the selfie capital of the world.

Christine Rosello

On June 30, 2014, a 14-year old student died after falling from the stairs. Christine Rosello died while being treated at the Rizal Medical Center.

School security guard Jojo Morate reported that Rosello was taking photos with her cell phone at the third floor of the Rizal High School (RHS) IR building when the incident happened at around 10:21 a.m. on June 30, Pasig police chief Senior Superintendent Mario Rariza said yesterday.

According to autopsy results, Rosello suffered broken bones, sustained an injury to the back of her head and her broken ribs pierced one of her kidneys.

Chezka Agas

Chezka Agas, an 18-year old student, died after she and her friends were struck by strong waves while taking selfie in front of the famous windmills in Barangay (village) Masikil, said Police Officer 3 Sloro Cosning Jr. of the Bangui Police station.

Agas, a second year civil engineering student, drowned after being carried by large waves according to police

Liezel Wage

A balikbayan who was on vacation with her family was killed after she was hit by a speeding motorcycle while she was taking a “selfie” in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, GMA News’ “24 Oras” reported on Wednesday (July 220, 2015).

Liezel Wage asked that their vehicle stop so she could take pictures of herself and her family with the scenic view as their background.

A wayward motorcycle, however, cut the picture-taking short as it hit her while she took the photo. Her family managed to rush her to the hospital, but she eventually died.

In August 2014, a fifteen-year-old boy, also in the Philippines, was critically wounded after accidentally shooting himself while taking a selfie in which his other hand was holding a gun to his chin.

The unnamed 15-year-old boy had borrowed a pistol from his uncle in Batangas, Philippines, and posed for a picture with the weapon pointing at his head.

The Philippines has three confirmed fatalities, and one serious injury since 2014, followed by Poland with also three deaths, and Russia with two fatalities, and one seriously injured.

/Carla Gamboa/ GMA, Inquirer, PH Star

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