IS ALL it takes for the local government units (LGUs) of Negros province and Bacolod City to stop its stupid and oppressive implementation.
The local government units of Bohol, Isabela, Negros Oriental, and I don't know where else, have ordered the cessation of implementation of dangerous, unhealthy and expensive motorcycle barrier through simple executive order. Yes, they did charging that the motorcycle barrier is the most nonsense, impractical, anti-family and risky measure versus Covid.
It is not the Covid that the barrier attacks, but the ordinary riders and motorists who have already been doing their best to comply with health standards.
With this, their people especially the riders and motorists have lauded such demonstration of political will, in defiance of national Inter-Agency Task Force (NIATF) and the Department of Interior and Local Government executive order.
If these smaller, quiet provinces could do it, why can't the province of Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, known for fighting the imperial Manila impositions and other national bullies, not able to stop it despite the already noisy complaints of dozens of riders clubs and thousands motorists?
Are they afraid of the DILG and the NIATF? Or are they protecting some vested interests that go with the barrier measure?
Has political will nowadays become a mere political commodity for sale, for expediency, or for compromise with power groups, rather than a public service value that all officials and politicians should exercise to defend public interests?
Let me remind LGU officials that even under so-called emergency situation, the Local Government Code has given clear mandate to LGUs to defend and fight for the citizens rights and public interests at all times.
It is clear that motorcycle barrier is a threat to the rights, safety and welfare of the riders and motorists and their millions of dependents on such cheaper mode of transportation -- and should therefore be scrapped by the LGUs.
In fact, it is not only on the barrier issue that LGUs should demonstrate their political will but also on other urgent issues and concerns of the people -- the massive unemployment and downsizing caused by lockdowns and curfews and other state militarist actions, the loss of people's purchasing power and the ensuing hunger, the hundreds of distressed small and medium companies now scrambling for means to survive, the tens of thousands of urban odd-jobbers fighting for little of everything everyday to keep sane, and the small agricultural producers and farmers now losing much of their income from substantive drop in their production.
Political will, sirs and ma'am, senioritos and senioritas, is not a hard thing to show, if only public interest is over and above your private and dynastic vested interests.
Yes, non-exercise of political will at a time when people demand for it from you, is to abandon your oath of public office.
So, exercise it now, before the people take retributive justice in their own hands.