MANILA -- Malacanang on Friday welcomed the pronouncements of some lawmakers heeding the call of President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III not to use siren (wang-wang).
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said it is good to know that the President's reminder during his first public speech has changed the mentality of public officials.
“The President's example of good government is infectious,” Lacierda said in a text message.
Since he assumed office last Wednesday, the President and his security escorts have not used siren while traveling in one place to another.
When he attended the turnover ceremony in Camp Aguinaldo Friday morning, he also did not use siren.
Several lawmakers applauded this gesture of the President and urged other legislators to follow the law.
Marikina City Representative Marcelino Teodoro said the President should not just be the one setting as good example but the lawmakers as well.
"Legislators should be the role models of Filipinos," he said in a statement.
He admired Aquino and has urged to have stricter implementation of law on the use of siren.
“If the President submits to non-use of wang-wang and other special privileges in traffic situations, who are we to go beyond it? We are lawmakers and not law breakers. We must all accept the call of the highest official of the land to avoid untoward abuse of authority," he said.
"No one is above the law. If a legislator cannot observe simple traffic rules, how much more can one create laws?” he added.
Another lawmaker Gabriela Party-list Representative Luzviminda Ilagan has called on all members of the House of Representatives to abide by the command of the chief executive.
“I have never used the ‘wang-wang!’ Also, the number 8 plate should be used judiciously. My personal car in Davao City does not have a 8 plate while my Manila vehicle uses that plate only on official trips,” Ilagan said. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)