Punish those lying bastards!

No need for a dialogue. I say bus operators who caused agony among thousands of innocent commuters last Monday should be dealt with harshly. Anything less than this would be cowardice on the part of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB). A sweet surrender to the whims and caprices of these blood-sucking bus operators.

If these bus firms don’t earn, they should fold up. Better yet, they should continue on with their bus holiday. Good riddance!

Immediately, the MMDA and LTFRB should move for the cancellation of these bus firms’ franchises and offer new franchises to new ones who are more sensitive to the needs of the riding public. Those who would put commuter convenience ahead of profit.

Claire Dela Fuente, the ex-sultry singer and president of the Integrated Metro Bus Operators Association, claimed drivers and not operators should be blamed for Monday’s bus strike that stranded thousands. She further went on to say that there was no strike and that “miscommunication” among drivers caused the confusion.

Liar!

Good thing the MMDA and LTFRB are not buying De La Fuente’s “lame” excuse. Even Department of Transportation and Communications Sec. Jose "Ping" de Jesus finds the IMBOA president’s pronouncement grossly outrageous.

I, too, find it highly ridiculous for Dela Fuente and her minions to blame the mess on their lowly drivers. Clearly, these people have no heart for both their workers and the riding public they are supposed to serve.

What I consider most annoying was the fact that Ms. Dela Fuente even had the gall to declare that they lost P5 million during last Monday’s strike, err, miscommunication. If you’d ask me, it’s best if they lost their entire business if only to see a traffic jam-free EDSA.

Sometimes I ride on buses along EDSA too. And, tell you, each ride was a nightmare. To say that most of these bus drivers are undisciplined would be an understatement. Most of them, as I see it, are suicidal. Where else in the world can you find drivers who drive these six-wheeled monsters as if they were riding on a motorbike?

I have nothing personal against city drivers but I guess their buses should be dedicated mostly for provincial travels. I suggest that we keep only the most ideal number of buses in the metropolis and keep the extras away from civilized streets. In so saying, I am of the opinion that by decongesting Metro Manila’s traffic, we all would save millions worth of economic opportunities.

We have the Light Rail Transit and the Metro Rail Transit loop that will eventually traverse the capital region’s biggest thoroughfares non-stop. Think about this: A bus ride is comparatively slower than all other existing modes of mass transport in Metro Manila.

Yet we have to pay more of our hard-earned money for such an inconvenience. That’s Insane.


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