IF THEY can get away with something, even when it’s against the law, they do it.
That’s why motorists from Uytengsu Road in Barangay Sambag 1 turn left to Osmeña Blvd. despite that big “no left turn” sign on the island.
That’s why sidewalks on both sides of Osmeña Blvd. have become obstacle courses for pedestrians trying to find spaces between parked cars even though the law is explicit about parking on sidewalks not being allowed.
I might not have been a fan of outgoing Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s brand of arrogant politics, but I supported and lauded Executive Order (EO) 34, which he issued on Feb. 2, 2018. After that, drivers who counterflowed were apprehended and their vehicles were impounded.
Something had to be done since the problem had gotten out of hand. And so Osmeña put his foot down.
No fewer than 8,000 motorcycles and other types of vehicles were seized and impounded, according to Francisco Ouano, chief of the City Transportation Office.
As a result, the number of counterflowers fell.
But we may see the “return of the comeback” when incoming mayor Edgardo Labella takes over the reins of City Hall. One of Labella’s campaign promises was to release to their owners the motorcycles and other vehicles that were impounded for counterflowing. According to him, EO 34 was unfair to the poor because “it left them without means to carry out their daily tasks and livelihood.”
Shall I start my tirade?
Well, I know Labella’s heart is in the right place. I don’t doubt that for a sec. But did he really expect these “poor” drivers to follow road safety laws if he does away with EO 34? I mean, how naïve can he be?
And please, feigning ignorance of the law cannot be the “poor’s” defense. When a driver is issued a license by the Land Transportation Office, it is presumed that he or she knows about the laws that govern the roads. The driver was supposed to have undergone a seminar on these matters, taken an exam and then passed. Hence, was then given the privilege to get behind the wheel.
Yes, before you all forget, driving is a privilege. It is not a right.
The State can very well take that away from you if you disobey or ignore such simple rules like parking on a no parking area, or making a left on a no left turn, or counterflowing.
Mind you, the law doesn’t make any distinction between the poor and the rich. So how can EO 34 be anti-poor?
Here in the Philippines, law abidance is a game of cat and mouse. When the cat is away, the mouse will play. But when the mouse is caught, it then plays the “poor” card.
Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.