There was a time in my youth that the calesas and the rig drivers were called 'king of the road'. Later it was the jeepneys. They were the United States army vehicles used by the American GIs in world war 2. When the war ended in 1945, these vehicles were modeled to passenger jeepneys and until today they are still in use. (The jeepney modernization program has been pulled back several times due to the stubbornness of their operators and several deadlines. Then came the tricycles and became the mode of transport supposedly to be operated only for the tertiary roads. Now they are on the highways.
Now the 'Evil Knievel' multiplied on almost every roads and are most visible on the highways. They are not concern about safety. Most road accidents today most likely will involve a motorcycle rider. Those daredevils seemingly fear nothing. There are so many uneccessary deaths on the highways and I keep asking whom can we point the finger of blame? To the motorists, to the agencies of the government like the Land Transportation Office (LTO), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), the Philippine National Police (PNP) Highway Patrol, the environmentalists, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) or to the victims of road accidents?
I remember my best friend Engineer Rico 'Tata Rics' Guilas, who was a former district engineer of the 1st Pampanga Engineering District when he was our guest in our morning broadcast at Brigada with the late John Susi. John and I assaulted him with so many questions. Queried him why no upgrading is being done on the MacArthur Highway, particularly the San Fernando stretch. Initially he excused himself by saying he's not the right person to answer our curiosity, but by the director of the DPWH regional office. Nontheless he explained that during the time of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo funds worth of billions of pesos were allocated for the upgrading of the Macarthur highway from Balintawak in Caloocan City up to Prozzorubio in Pangasinan. They were released in tranches, but because of several concerns like the cutting of the trees, right of ways, etc. the road expansion program was overtaken by events. How sad.
NOTES: The Porac-Angeles overpass bridge is so many years in the making. The motorists suffered enough due to its long construction period. Will the DPWH inform us when it will be inaugurated?... With the billions of insertions which are under the dispositions of senators and congressmen, and if only spent properly, we can even have all roads in the country paved with 'gold plates', so to speak. ( Kung hanggang 10% lang ang kinukuha ni Sen and solons at hindi 25% baka tama ang sinabi ko)... I suggest that those traffic lights along the MacArthur highway in the San Fernando stretch should be calibrated.