commentary Day off for public utility drivers
Day off for public utility drivers
Thursday, 02 February 2012 00:00
DAVAO City-The past week was hectic. I traveled to Dipolog, Dumaguete, Cebu and Bohol to get documents for the veteran claims of my late father. He died nine years ago at the prime age of 88 but until now he had not received any compensation as WWII veteran. The Military Service Board of the Department of National Defense issued his certificate of confirmation of military service on 25th January 2001 but we only received the certificate in 2009 or eight years after it was granted. He died without knowing that he was indeed a war veteran although he was active in veteran-related activities in the past when he was still strong and able. The local office of the Philippine Veteran's Affairs Office (PVAO) said its national office ceased to operate for awhile so nobody mailed the confirmation certificate to us. It would take only about P35 to mail that envelope to us here. Had we known it earlier, we would love to fly via business class to Manila to claim it.
With my frustration of this gross competence, I wrote an article about this ordeal in my column with another newspaper in 2009 entitled "PVAO works like snail." Those of you who deal with veterans may have some experience working with the office.
But this article is not about PVAO or about veterans. This is about some of my observations while traveling which may be essential to Davao City and other cities which are slowly inflicted with the disease called traffic jam. Davao, Cagayan de Oro and even General Santos are metropolis which sooner or later will face the problem of traffic congestion. Several years ago, a 15-minute traffic jam in Davao City was unheard of. Now it is part of our daily routine especially during rush hours and School days. Traffic jams along the stretch of JP Laurel Avenue, Buhangin Road, Tomas Claudio Avenue and McArthur Highway are terrible. Traveling in one of these destinations is like plying Edsa in early morning or late afternoon rush.
I observe that Dipolog City has its own way of regulating their pedicabs and tricycles, the basic means of transportation in this northwestern city. Both Dipolog and the adjoining city of Dapitan are political bailiwick of Jalosjos family. Dominador Jalosjos, the current mayor of Dapitan City is constructing a palatial city hall along the Dipolog-Dapitan highway that would palethe city halls of Davao, Cagayan and General Santos. I think it would be inaugurated in time for the national elections next year. The tricycles of Dipolog have unique markings. There are printings such as "Of f-day Monday," "Of f-day Thursday," and so on.
I though only workers and Schools have day offs from their work. Amused, so I asked a driver about it who told me there is a city ordinance requiring all tricycles to have a mandatory day- of f one day a week to ease traffic congestion in the city. Dipolog which is an old city has narrow road network system which could easily be clogged up during rush hours. At first there was strong opposition against it but later they saw the relevance of the measure. I could also see a lot of PNP and traffic management personnel manning the busy streets of Quezon, Rizal and Bonifacio and to ensure compliance of the said ordinance.
I think it is a unique way of regulating traffic in our own cities. We all know that Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has this odd or even number scheme whereby private owners of vehicles are allowed to operate their Cars during designated days. Mmda based the last digit of the plate number to regulate traffic. I am not sure if they have similar scheme for PUJ/PUV units plying the metro cities. Davao City which is pestered with traffic jams may opt to follow the experiment of Dipolog by regulating the operations of tricycles and perhaps also with PUJ/PUVs as well as the number scheme of Mmda. Of course there will be some resistance at first but the ease of mobility and the lessening of pollution from vehicle emissions may be beneficial to the city in the long run. Day off for public utility vehicle drivers, why not??
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