Showing posts with label Noynoy Aquino. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Noynoy Aquino. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

On Arthur Tugade's Apology Regarding NAIA



Well this is certainly a breath of fresh air. It's not as fresh as I would like. But it's fresh nonetheless.

NAIA has long been a running joke for the past few years now. It was named as the worst airport in the world by Guide to Sleeping in Airports for three years. It eventually improved. But it is still considered as one of worst by the website and even flight crews. The "Tanim Bala" issue got people riled up (link). And now, its already-oddly-designed runways, being perpendicular and all, are the ones causing problems... well one in particular.

Problems in NAIA have become the norm. And for the past administration, the problems seemed to revolve around... well... hmm... luck (link)? I kid... I kid... hehe.

But seriously though, the past administration was at a lost when it came to managing the transport sector. I was particularly irked with the then DOTC, the MMDA (link) and the leaderships stubbornness in keeping the officials in place. And as disheartening as it is for me to say, I wouldn't have blamed Tugade if he went after Honrado or Abaya. But he kind of didn't.



Transport secretary Arthur Tugade, in front of business leaders and executives last July 19, manned up and took full responsibility for the damaged runways that caused delayed and diverted flights as well as, pending investigations, damage on an Eva Air Boeing 747.

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

On Kidapawan and Militant Rallies

It's been a firestorm of emotion ever since April Fool's Day. The Faculty Center of my Alma mater burned down prompting my college friends and acquaintances to start reminiscing and organizing support initiatives. With the emotion at a high, Kidapawan happened and my timeline was filled with unrivaled anger coming from even the most happy-go-lucky individuals.

With a re-energized Facebook friends list, political discussions ramped up. Kidapawan became the major focus of discussions and a lot was covered. Leftist friends started antagonizing pro-administation sentiments. Some showed appreciation for the men and women in uniform who were there at the location. And yet, a few remained silent - me included.

What happened in Kidapawan was truly sad and there's no denying that fact. With Mother Earth's unwavering, merciless wrath destroying their means of survival, people joined a rally to get reprieve. There, their source of help turned the other cheek and decided to continually ignore them. Until finally, their permit expired and they were left to either return to where they were in the first place or remain where they are and hope for some sort of relief. They chose the latter, relief never came and all hell broke loose.
I've touched on the paltry state of of our agricultural sector on my last post (link). With the continuing heat wave our country is experiencing, we may have reached the tipping point. And it is fair to say even if you are not in the fields that making ends meat through farming is getting harder and harder.

As I've mentioned, I've kept silent, relatively, regarding what happened. Hey, our president has basically done the same thing, right? Surely the leader of our nation knows the best course of action, right? In my silence, several issues have popped up. Several of them are regarded as facts we haven't changed at the moment while others are mere speculations. The torrent of information coming from the media is amazing and most of us are unable to keep up.

As of right now, we don't know what really went down. The PNP and the CHR have promised investigations in the coming days. But there have been reports of the police cleaning up evidence immediately after the confrontation. There was also a report that gun powder was detected on one of the protesters through a paraffin test. But then again, a paraffin test has its limitations. It can yield false positives especially if the one being tested has been handling tobacco or fertilizer, things a farmer would usually have (link). We have a bunch of politicians condemning what happened. We also have reports of the government's inability to release funds, food and supplies quickly enough to help the farmers cope with the heat. And, perhaps most prevalent recently, there have been reports that leftist organizations were the ones that urged the farmers to join the rally

But through all the things being reported, there is one thing that hasn't made its way to me through mass media: police procedures. I don't know, maybe I haven't been as focused on the news lately. But the lack of details on how things should be handled from my choice of news programs is troubling. And maybe a lot of my friends on Facebook are in the same boat because they're not talking about it.

Checking on the PNP Handbook (link), it's pretty clear that the main focus of police officers, or civil disturbance management team, is peace. There is a clear procedure to be followed and strict guidelines are put in place. The handbook also explicitly states that no firearm is to be brought within 100m of the rally. Police on the ground have said they gave warning shots. If they were following their handbook, would they even have that option? Plus, according to the handbook, warning shots are prohibited during police operations. TV5's Ed Lingao did a great job summarizing this in a Facebook post (link).

I once said in the past that "rules are not meant to be followed, they should be justified (link)". So let's justify this rule. Let's assume that the activists were the ones that attacked first and the police see their colleagues getting attacked by rocks and sticks. Is it justifiable for them to break the rule and use guns? Well, they are expected to be better-trained and physically fit. And the police are armed with better equipment. But what if the protesters had guns? I mean, one police allegedly sustained a bullet wound to the leg. Does that justify the usage of firearms? Sure! But that doesn't justify the continued "warning" shots seen on videos. And then again, those guns shouldn't have been there in the first place which, by the way, I think is a troublesome rule but a rule nonetheless. And a rule that, had been followed, could have prevented deaths. And it's also a rule that's still not being followed.
Through all this, I'm not discounting the heroism of our police officers. Most of them risk with some even losing their lives to protect our freedoms. But three people died and countless were injured on both sides. And even then, the DILG did not wait for any form of investigation to reward our men.

The issue of politics, whether you're a leftist or not, should take a backseat. The lack of professionalism being displayed by the government is worrisome. The bureaucracy's lack of effective and efficient service provision led to the farmer's desperation. I'm not usually one to prejudge prior to any investigation. But the police lacked the professionalism to follow their own rules. And the president remaining silent through all this is... well... you know.

Militant rallies happen all the time. Them urging the poor to join them is akin to your usual political candidates urging people to vote for them using their deep pockets and nonsensical jingles. It's dirty. But it is what it is. And just like those politicians, these leftists deserve the same professional, impartial and impersonal government whenever they come in contact with it. And those unknowing farmers certainly deserve that sort of governance as well.

This government that once said that it is not responsible for the seeking of justice for the Mendiola Massacre (link) is once again showing a complete lack of professionalism. This nation deserves better.

P.S.



They put food on our tables. It's our turn to put food on theirs.Tulong Kabataan is now accepting donations for our fellow Mindanao Farmers. Please refer to the poster for details.#BIGAShindiBALA
Posted by KABATAAN PARTYLIST on Tuesday, 5 April 2016

P.P.S.

A very important message from Dr. John Paul Vergara and the Ateneo University Press: The Ateneo de Manila University...
Posted by Rica Bolipata Santos on Tuesday, 5 April 2016



Sunday, August 16, 2015

Metro Manila Traffic is Just Plain Unbearable


Last week, I was invited by my college friends to attend a concert celebrating the new school year. Back then I would jump at this opportunity to get drunk off my ass with glee and excitement. But lately, the traffic situation in EDSA has really reduced the enthusiasm I have in these affairs.

I'm from south of Muntinlupa and I went to college in Quezon City. Back in 2009, I remember getting agitated in a bus because I was coming in late for an exam. The Skyway extension project from Bicutan to Alabang just got started and I failed to factor it in my travel time. Eventually, I got to that exam and was able to answer enough questions to pass. I was saved by the Nova Bus Lines plying the route of Baclaran to Fairview via ILALIM LAHAT.
 
Riding a Nova, Newman Goldline or Safeway made EDSA look like these five years ago





That was roughly five years ago. Traffic sucked but it was bearable with the help of a reliable MRT and a few bus companies that would rather burn more fuel than wait for passengers. Fast-forward to the present and that is no longer the case.

These days, it takes me 5 hours to get to Philcoa from our bus terminal. This is the case regardless of the time of day. A few years back it took 2 and a half hours. Nowadays, I no longer ride the MRT because I'd rather sit down in a bus than stand in line for an hour to ride a congested train that may breakdown any moment. All buses nowadays are not allowed to go Ilalim in Cubao, Crossing or Ayala giving no incentive to switch buses in Mantrade/Magallanes.You will now see private vehicles and provincial buses in the city bus lanes. City buses on the other hand have no choice but to get as many passengers in one trip as possible to make up for the time they spend in traffic. They become a bit more "gahaman" nowadays. EDSA has really made visiting my old stomping grounds look like a chore than a night of debauchery.

I know in my case, traffic in EDSA isn't a big deal. So I don't get to go to UP and get drunk as much. But how about the other people who ply through EDSA daily? How about my friend who lives in Fairview and works in Taguig? Is it ok that he has to spend 5 hours a day to go to and from work where he already spends 9 hours? It seems more practical to be a bed spacer in Makati than to go through that hell hole we call EDSA everyday in his case. It's crazy how I have a point considering Taguig and Fairview aren't as far away from each other geographically as the travel time would suggest.

The traffic in EDSA and the whole Metropolis for that matter has been a major source of irritation or in some case anger for us commuters. And the way the government handles it is pretty deplorable.

Before I start ranting about how the government sucks at traffic management, some of you may see traffic as a result of lack of discipline. If only magbibigayan ang mga motorista, we won't have this much traffic. And sure, you may have a point. But that reasoning is a result of lack of authority from the ruling body. If the government gave the people more reason to respect the traffic regulations like by being more visible and strict, maybe drivers would be more disciplined. I mean without the fear of getting caught, a lot people become douche bags..

Now, we have seen more CCTV camera out there. Catching violators has become easier and the YouScoop and Bayan Mo Ipatrol mo segments of the prime time news programs are usually packed with these stories. But catching traffic violators is just half the battle.

The elections are coming. Recently, Mar Roxas went to Cebu and addressed the crowd. Traffic eventually came up and according to him. traffic just means that the economy is booming echoing the sentiments of current President Aquino. According to him, the reason why people missed their flights was because of an influx in tourism. His allies appealed for more patience and asked us to just leave earlier. Ok, sure. It's not like traffic in this country is one of the worst in the world or anything. Oh, wait.

I'm not going to further antagonize Roxas. I mean, in GMA's version of the headline he did say that further investments in infrastructure is needed. Plus, he is with DILG and his responsibilities don't really encapsulate the traffic woes we have.

Let's look at the president. As I mentioned, Roxas only echoed Aquino's sentiments. Too bad the yahoo report with his quote won't load. Aside from his comment that I can no longer backup, there is the fact that his SONA's are not really focused on traffic. It is pretty evident if you read the last SONA. Though he did talk proudly of the Cavite Expressway and the Skyway Extension Project as he should, Be that as it may, I feel the commuter concerns are not really a priority for him. I mean, how can he applaud Jun Abaya's work on maritime concerns without reminding how inadequate he has been in dealing with the MRT? He mentioned how 2008 maintenance only covered painting. He mentioned DOTC's maintenance plans were TRO'ed by thanks to the evil corporation. Sure the MTRC is playing hardball, but how can he still be confident in Abaya? The fact of the matter is, Abaya couldn't handle his job with the MRT. Coupled with the dilapidated state of the PNR; Abaya hasn't really done much for the commuters. All Aquino did was applaud Abaya and defend him. When was the last time you were applauded by your boss when you failed to finish your paperwork? I don't know about you, but the awesomeness of my last report does not change the fact that I will get my ass handed to me if I miss my next deadline. I don't know what is it with Aquino and scolding his ineffective underlings. He bombards us with his "Daang Matuwid" slogan, yet accountability is an alien term as far as his allies are concerned.

Speaking of Aquino allies, how about the MMDA? How about Francis Tolentino? Do you remember the bus scheme that was put in place? Rappler gives us a diagram here of how it works. It's been a year now. The first few months, I noticed this. Two buses left the terminal at once and one can drop off at Ayala and the other can't. The same can be said with the rest of the stops. But for the past couple of times I went to the Metro, this is no longer being practiced. Buses will stop anywhere if you hit the metal handle bars with a coin. I guess, we can chalk this one up as a failed attempt. But an attempt nonetheless.

How about the Express Connect Bus? Remember the buses with limited drop off points from Fairview to Ayala? Well, as you can imagine, bus drivers and conductors really got the short end of that deal.

I really feel sorry for the MMDA. I mean, Tolentino tries. But he just can't help but fail. This can be attributed to the fact that the LGU's don't respect him. He may have a ton of plans that may work. But he has to compromise with several ego-driven LGU dynasties who I suspect don't respect him as much since he is not an elected official. These LGU's have their own ordinances and some don't even follow the number coding scheme. The fact that he's from Tagaytay does not help his case in talking with these mayors.

As corrupt as the MMDA was when Fernando was head of it, I really miss him. He kicked ass. His enforcers would catch buses and private vehicles alike with no qualms if they disobeyed the rules. Sure it may be driven by kotong but drivers had the fear of being caught because of these relentless kotong boys. I remember city buses being limited to the right-most lane except when they go Ilalim. Private vehicles and provincial buses couldn't cross over to those lanes. It's crazy how I'm cheering for a guy who has a few corruptionallegations.

The MMDA seems to be the hardest office to take over. You have to deal with the DOTC for transport related items. They have to deal with the DPWH who constantly construct in the most inopportune moments. The LGU's may not respect you since they are elected officials. Maybe if NCR had a governor or something. Maybe the traffic woes can be handled in a unified fashion.

Traffic in Metro Manila has been a constant source of anger, rage and profanity-laden tirades. I have mentioned accountability once or twice before. But for the case of traffic in the Metro, who should be accountable? The drivers? DOTC? MMDA? LGU's? the President?

It's really hard to pinpoint who should handle this. But if this government really planned on getting getting the economy running, shouldn't it have developed a long term plan in handling the expected influx of traffic volume like the one they had for energy consumption? Oh wait...

Sometimes it makes me think. Is the economy growing because of this government's leadership or despite of it?