Arrogance is defined as an unreasonable sense of superiority, self-importance or entitlement. The Bible is abundantly clear that arrogance is something that God hates. It is abominable to the Lord and in direct opposition to how He instructs us to live. In the Book of Proverbs, arrogance is first on the list of things God hates (Proverbs 6:16-19).
Arrogance to the highest degree, blackmail, hostage-taking and economic sabotage. This is how I describe the actuation of the management of the Ceres Bus Company. Maybe the management thinks because they are the biggest bus company in the country, they can do whatever they want. After receiving flak from the public because of the series of road accidents involving their units, now the company is acting arrogantly.
It has asked for exemption of travel line and identification cards (IDs) of its drivers issued by the Cebu City Transportation Office. A travel line is a public transport route planner service provided by a partnership between the local government unit and transport operators. The payment of every issuance and the ID is only P150. Traffic enforcers are apprehending Ceres buses for failing to secure this requisite.
The request was addressed to the City Council’s committee on transportation for the bus company to be exempted from the imposition of fines and penalties to their drivers.
“This is for this reason that we are mere grantees of Special Permits by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for Cebu City routes hence, our operation is temporary and interim during this Covid-19 pandemic,” reads a part of the company’s letter addressed to Councilor James Cuenco, the committee chairman.
“Furthermore, we are at most providing our services as requested by the DOTr and the local government unit to sustain the economic needs of Metro Cebu, as such we are to return to our original provincial franchise anytime soon,’ the letter further stated.
Cuenco revealed that the bus company representative called up his executive assistant threatening to pull out its buses if the request will not be acted upon. Cuenco said he will refer the matter to the City Council for the legislative body to act on as it was the one that passed an ordinance providing travel line to public transportation, adding that it is also within the executive department to decide on the matter.
The company’s threat to pull out from Metro Cebu if not given exemption from the travel line and issuance of IDs for their drivers is an act of arrogance. Is the company trying to exert pressure, blackmail and hostage our local authorities?
Who does it think it is? Is it above the law? And why should it be exempted when other operators have complied with this policy religiously? And if the company’s whims and caprices cannot be granted, it is threatening to pull out. I hope our local officials will not succumb to the pressure and demand of this bus company.
Okay, go ahead. Pull out. Maybe it thinks the public transportation in Metro Cebu will be crippled and paralyzed if it pulls out. There are so many bus operators who are willing to dispatch their units and serve city routes. When the bus company was confronted with a series of road accidents, Mayor Edgardo Labella warned the company to “shape up or ship out.” Now, if it continues to violate our laws, I think its high time for this bus company to “ship out.”