THE government’s intention to phase out 15-year-old PUJs is for the comfort and safety of the riding public and the driver. It is not anti-poor as the protesters led by Piston (Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Nationwide) would like us to believe.
Those who oppose the modernization of our transport industry are backward-thinking. Aside from the danger 15-year-old PUJs pose to passengers, drivers and commuters, these are even very uneconomical to operate because maintenance is more costly.
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Land Transportation Franchising Board (LTRFB) should be investigated as to why these 15-year-old PUJs got passing grades in road worthiness tests.
Also, the lackadaisical enforcement of traffic laws have made public utility drivers abusive. They drive as if they own the road. They forget that every motor vehicle owner pays road users' tax.
Traffic penalties are nothing if PUJ drivers obey traffic laws, rules and regulations. In developed countries, traffic fines are very stiff but the drivers don’t complain because traffic laws are enforced without fear or favor.
Romeo Armamento, vice chairman for the Visayas of the National Confederation of Transportworkers Union (NCTU), should ask his PUJ drivers to obey raffic laws, rules and regulations to avoid paying the traffic violation fines.
He should consider that his member-drivers even ignore the simple traffic sign, “No Stopping.' Worse, they load and unload passengers on prohibited zones or anywhere on the road.
PUJ drivers and operators know that the phaseout of 15-year-old PUJs does not put them out of business because all they need to do is substitute old PUJs with new or less than 15 years old PUJ.
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The acrid verbal tussle between presidential bets Digong Duterte and Mar Roxas, wherein they dared each other to a slapping match, has delighted their respective supporters but made them look like silly old men.
Roxas, who appears meek and is misunderstood as weak, reacted sharply to Mayor Duterte’s accusation that his economics degree at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, USA, is fake. Duterte also said he would slap Roxas after the latter said Duterte’s reputation as a crime buster is a myth because Philippine National Police (PNP) data showed that Davao city recorded the fourth highest crime index in 2014.
But isn’t slapping the domain of women? The other day dared Digong to a “suntokan” instead. Conversely, the macho image they tried to portray only provided doubts as to what they really are.
Roxas was remorseful, though, about how he responded to the slapping dare of Duterte. He told the press that he was only carried away. He only did not want to let Digong’s accusation go unanswered.
Duterte insists Roxas did not finish a degree in Wharton and wants Roxas to show his graduation photo with his mother. This even with proof that Roxas finished his economics degree at the Wharton School of Economics in Pennsylvania University.
Are these the kind of presidential candidates we are to elect on May 8, 2016? For the country’s sake, Duterte and Roxas should show us that they are man enough to rise above selfish and childish talks.
While Duterte and Roxas exchanged barbs, Vice President Jejomar Binay, UNA’s bet for president, is silently campaigning away from the media’s watchful eyes.
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Did suspended Mayor Mike Rama hurt his knees when he knelt after his speech during the turnover of the executive office to his Vice Mayor, Edgar Labella? A friend asked me to hurl this question to Mayor Rama.
I don’ think so. The kneeling was quick and was only part of the theatrics in his accepting his 60-day suspension ordered by Malacañang.
Lawyers are sworn to support the Constitution and obey the laws. Mayor Rama was true to his oath as a lawyer when he peacefully turned over his office to the vice mayor, also a lawyer. The orderly turnover must have surprised BOPK chief Tommy Osmeña.
(freezone.ellie588@gmail.com)