MMDA officials to blame for “killer highway”

BY ATTY. BATAS MAURICIO 


LIFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised...” (Proverbs 31:30, the Holy Bible).

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MMDA OFFICIALS SHOULD RESIGN OVER “KILLER HIGHWAY”: Perhaps, whoever is in charge of the Metro Manila Development Authority’s “60 kilometer speed limit” program along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, dubbed as the “killer highway” of the Philippines due to accidents occurring therein which have already killed hundreds of people, should now resign, or be fired.

I mean, MMDA officials have been bragging that this speed limit program has become very effective in preventing usually fatal accidents at the “killer highway”, and yet, just last Friday, May 13, 2011, a prominent and veteran journalist, Lourdes “Chit” Estella Simbulan, got killed after the taxi she was riding in was rammed by a recklessly-driven passenger bus at a portion of Commonwealth Avenue near the UP Ayala Hub.
The question is, what happened, MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino? There is no excuse for not seeing to it that the speed limit is strictly followed, especially because mediamen have become critical of the return of “killer-driving ways” on that part of Quezon City. In fact, on April 24, 2011, I myself wrote about this, thus:

“ `KILLER HI-WAY’  RETURNS: Before the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) crows again about the success of its 60-kilometer-speed limit project for Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City (dubbed as the `killer highway’ of the Philippines), it should try to field its officers on that road starting at 4 a.m. Mondays to Fridays, and see for themselves that buses plying the route have returned to their daredevil and killing-driving ways.”

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FILIPINO DRIVERS’ CHANGE OF CHARACTER: In fact, just last Wednesday, President Aquino signed Proclamation 159, declaring the year 2011 as the year that the 10-year Philippine Road Safety Action Plan would start, the objective of which is to curb road accidents in the country.

The proclamation was supposed to be a part of a global campaign led by the United Nations General Assembly which declared 2011-2020 as the Decade of Action for Road Safety worldwide.

Well, I guess that the President should try to post himself along Commonwealth Avenue once in a while and personally witness the reckless driving and wanton disregard of even the most basic rules on road courtesy by drivers plying that route, especially those driving passenger buses. 

I really do not know what comes into a Filipino driver once he gets behind the steering wheel. Even if he is usually sober and saintly, he changes into an ogre instantly as soon as he takes on the driver’s seat. 

What is amazing here is that this character change happens only in the Philippines, for Filipinos drive well in other countries, or even inside Clark or Subic.


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MMDA officials dapat sisihin sa “killer highway”


INSPIRASYON SA BUHAY: “Mandaraya ang pang-akit at kumukupas ang ganda, ngunit ang babaing gumagalang at sumusunod sa PANGINOON ay pararangalan.” (Kawikaan 31:30, Bibliya).

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MMDA OFFICIALS DAPAT MAGBITIW DAHIL SA “KILLER HIGHWAY”: Dapat magbitiw na o sibakin sa puwesto kung sino man ang namumuno sa “60 kilometer speed limit” program ng Metro Manila Development Authority sa kahabaan ng Commonwealth Avenue sa Quezon City, na tinaguriang “killer highway” ng Pilipinas sa mga aksidenteng nangyayari doon na ikinasawi na ng daan-daang katao. 

Ipinagyayabang ng mga opisyal ng MMDA na ang speed limit program na ito ay naging epektibo sa pagpigil sa kadalasang nakamamatay na aksidente sa “killer highway”, ngunit, noon lang Biyernes, May 13, 2011, isang kilala at beteranong journalist, si Lourdes “Chit” Estella Simbulan, ay namatay matapos banggain ang sinasakyan niyang taxi ng isang walang habas na bus sa bahagi ng Commonwealth Avenue malapit sa UP Ayala Hub.
Ang tanong dito, anong nangyari, MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino? Walang puwedeng gamiting dahilan para hindi matiyak na nasusunod ang speed limit, lalo pa’t inuupakan na ng mga taga-media ang pagbabalik ng “killer-driving ways” sa bahaging iyon ng Quezon City. Ang katotohanan, noong April 24, 2011, sumulat ako ng artikulo tungkol dito,  na nagsasabing:

"KILLER HI-WAY", BUMALIK NA: At bago muling magyabang ang Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) ukol sa proyekto nitong 60-kph speed limit sa Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City (tinaguriang "killer highway" sa Pilipinas),
dapat subukan muna nitong magmanman sa kalsada umpisa alas 4 ng umaga, Lunes hanggang Biyernes, at siguradong magugulat ito na bumalik na muli ang mga nakakamatay na mga estilo ng pagmamaneho doon.”
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PAGBABAGO SA UGALI NG PINOY DRIVERS: Noon lang Miyerkules, pinirmahan ni Pangulong Aquino ang Proclamation 159 na nagdedeklara sa taong 2011 bilang taon kung kalian magsisimula ang 10-year Philippine Road Safety Action Plan, na ang layon ay mabasawan ang aksidente sa kalsada sa bansa.

Ang nasabing proklamasyon ay sinasabing bahagi ng kampanyang pandaigdigan sa pangunguna ng United Nations General Assembly na idineklara ang 2011-2020 bilang Decade of Action for Road Safety sa buong mundo.

Mas maganda kung subukan ng Pangulo na magposte sa Commonwealth Avenue paminsan-minsan at personal na saksihan ang walang habas na pagmamaneho at pagbalewala sa mga patakaran sa kalsada ng mga tsuper na dumadaan sa nasabing lugar, lalo na ang mga nagmamaneho ng pampasaherong bus.

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang pumapasok sa isang Pilipinong truper kapag nakahawak na ng manibela. Kahit siya’y matino, nagiging mistula itong halimaw kapag naupo na sa driver’s seat. 

Ang nakakapagtaka rito ay ang biglaang pagbabagong ito sa ugali ay nangyayari lang sa Pilipinas, dahil ang mga tsuper na Pilipino ay maayos naman ang pagmamaneho kapag nasa ibang bansa, o kapag nasa loob ng Clark o Subic.