Philippine Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya is probably one of the stupidest public servants under the current Aquino government today. Not only is he seemingly incapable of fixing the traffic congestion and the dismal public transport system in the country, he also has a penchant for insulting the intelligence of both motorists and commuters — those who are forced to endure miserable conditions while travelling on the road every day.
Transport Secretary Jun Abaya: Not only is he incompetent, he says a lot of silly things.
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It doesn’t help that Abaya is now very unpopular, so anything he says just makes those annoyed at him want to see him make good on a promise to have himelf run over by a train if he doesn’t fix the MRT problems by 2015. A lot of people have been expecting him to resign years ago and, more importantly, a lot have also been calling on President BS Aquino to fire him for his incompetence. For some bizarre reason, BS Aquino can’t even admonish Abaya the way he admonishes public servants who are not allied with him. It’s no wonder Abaya doesn’t make any apologies for his shortfalls and even goes as far as mocking the people who have no choice but to suck up the wretchedness of the Philippines’ decrepit transport system.
Abaya’s claim that the often snail-paced flow of traffic on Manila roads is not “fatal” was idiotic. Here are the reasons why:
1. Stress caused by traffic is detrimental to people’s health and wellbeing.
You would think that this is a no-brainer but apparently, there is still a need to point out that being stuck in congested traffic on the road can cause stress especially when you are on your way to work or a very important appointment. Exposure to the same situation every day can lead to chronic stress and wreak havoc in a person’s body. To quote Mayo Clinic:
The long-term activation of the stress-response system — and the subsequent overexposure to cortisol and other stress hormones — can disrupt almost all your body’s processes. This puts you at increased risk of numerous health problems, including:
Anxiety
Depression
Digestive problems
Heart disease
Sleep problems
Weight gain
Memory and concentration impairment.
2. Prolonged stay on the road exposes people to harmful pollution.
Traffic at a standstill is the new normal in Metro Manila.
3. Being stuck in traffic for hours can result in road rage.
Filipino drivers are already famous for driving on the road like Mad Max or being in “beast mode” over much of their trip. Indeed, the added stress of being stuck in traffic can fuel aggressiveness that can put other people’s lives in danger. Furthermore, dangerous driving can make traffic conditions even worse. This can result in fatalities.
4. Traffic congestion can prevent ambulance drivers and emergency crews from saving lives.
I don’t think this needs explanation. But for Abaya’s sake, I need to reiterate that if the traffic is not moving, it would be impossible for ambulances and emergency crews to reach their destination and do what is necessary to save lives.
5. Being stuck in traffic can lead to loss of livelihood and eventually, death.
There is a limit to the use of the excuse “I was stuck in traffic” before your boss fires you for being late everyday. We are talking about a country where getting a decent job after being fired is not easy. This can lead to all kinds of problems for the individual that can cause depression and possibly suicide.
One doesn’t have to be a genius to realize the adverse consequences resulting from being stuck in traffic. But unfortunately, not only do Filipinos have to deal with it; they also have to deal with a hopeless and arrogant man like Abaya. Now that alone can be fatal.
In life, things are not always what they seem.
I wrote a similar article:
Traffic Problems Can Be Disastrous!
Pabaya is really being stupid!
Let us take hold of Abaya and Aquino; tie them ; and put them on the Rails of the MMRT. Let them be run over by the trains; to fulfill the promise,they had promised of themselves.
These people are Scammers. They are not only incompetent; but are Natural Born Liars. They are insensitive to the sufferings of other people. They do not care of anybody, but themselves. Selfishness is in the core of their bones…
Wouldn’t they die of heatstroke/dehydration/starvation waiting for the train?
LOL!
The basic problem with Manila is not so much that the transport is inadequate: there are just too many people.
The best solution would be to abandon Manila to the squatters and start again somewhere else. Build a second city, where it can be done properly. Well … where it COULD be done properly … by anyone except Filipinos.
Brilliant idea, Marcus. However, Pinoys, addicted to being ‘in’, will probably flood your figurative second city. Best solution would be the big earthquake were waiting for. Now if only 60% of pinoys in the affected areas die from that catastrophe……
the more they suffer, the better
Fatal ,,,, what is the meaning of this word??? As I understand it , it mean killer of life… We’ll if you will expand it the way you writers and critics say it in referral to Abaya .. It is extreme.. I am not Abaya,s supporter but I think it is unfair for him,,, to be fair … I would say also that living in the Philippines is also FATAL…. Now I think that’s is fair for Abaya…
I agree what you said but i have to say a lot of problems are caused by the drivers themselves more so the jeepney and bike drivers the standard of driving in the philippines is shocking to say the least. I am sure i dont have to explain the facts as any half decent driver will know. ?
He is just emulating his boss’s words (told to a Yolanda victim who voiced out what he went throughg) — “But you didn’t die, right?” — ergo, not fatal.
Cheers again Ilda Ilda,
Traffic is really getting worse, no wonder @Elias Bartolome or @Tio Ralph or @Tio Elias is now Philippines expert on profanity or swearing. (no offense bro)
the day will come when total gridlock will set in, at the time a particularly super typhoon bears down on Manila, as well as a 7.5 temblor, maybe a fanciful scenario, but not beyond the realm of possibility.
If most folks are already at their wits’ end at this ‘new normal’ stage, how will they cope when the perfect storm hits?
it reminds me of that classic REM song, “Everybody hurts sometime”, but the end may not necessarily turn out as serenely as that.
As much as i agree with the incompetence of the government to solve this problem, they should not shoulder all the blame. The problems we are having are accumulated even before the aquino administration, All of it actually. Then we expect a magic 8 ball president who will solve all this problems in the span of 6 years. This blaming the government all the time encourages most of pilipinos to do nothing because their mindset is, “it is the govt’s fault, they should fix it and we will wait and go on our merry twisted mindset ways and will get angry if they didn’t give us what we want” but if we will look around, it is the accumulated contribution of each and every one of us.
Discipline is lacking in our daily live in the roads, form loading and unloading in the middle of the street to power tripping drivers who feel that they are privileged to cut or swerve or just have an F1 speed driving skills.
Sometimes i look at the long lines in MRT everytime i passed cubao, on a positive note (but you have to look harder for that positivity) is the lesson of queueing discipline, because they understand what each is going through so some respect is there. If we could apply it generally to our lives. (Though when riding in MRT trains, is a different story of filipinos forced to being in a warrior mode, and boxer mode)
Again it not just 6yrs, it has been 30 long years of Mediocrity (Pwede na yan) and incompetence.
Please look around and observe, since EDSA revolt majority of people running the government (national/local) are all link to or product of Aquino/Cojuanco. Starting from our Constitution (1987) and majority Congress (LAW makers), Judiciary & previous Leaders we had (Ramos, Estrada, GMA, Enrile, Binay, et.al.). And ever since Aquino took power from very old/weak FMarcos, incompetence and Mediocrity has been infecting (viral) everyone both in public & private sector.
“Pwede na yan! (That will do!) – This kind of thinking makes us content with mediocrity. Whenever we say pwede na yan, we’re saying I’m ok with so-so products & services, I’m ok with low quality or mediocre output. We all deserve better than that from ourselves & from others. ”
If the Aquino & allies are really not CORRUPT? But then Nobody should be satisfied with 30 years of stupidity (incompetence), poor service (Mediocrity), lack of planning. No foresight/vision and pure neglegence done to all Filipino.
@CCC
The article didn’t say the current government is solely to blame for the traffic and all other problems the country is facing today.
The real question is, what is the current government doing to solve the problems they inherited? What are they doing to reduce the number of buses on the roads, for example? Are they still issuing more permits for new bus operators? Furthermore, what are they doing to improve the public transport system that could encourage more people to leave their cars at home to reduce congestion?
Of course there is lack of discipline in the country. That’s partly due to weak enforcement of the law. Hardly anyone gets punished for violating the rules on the road and anywhere else.
Solution: MASS TRANSPORT
Instead of new roads/highways or expressway/flyover or bridges, more train will reduce vehicles congestions, pollution, accidents and promote safer & better (convenient/cleaner) future for all.
Road Projects – will just benefits the Motor Vehicle manufacturers and the Arabs or oil producers due to our dependency on fossil fuel.
Government should focus not only on additional coaches, line extension or new lines (Subway/LRT/MRT/PNR), maintenance & upgrading existing train facility. But much better to include the following:
1. Additional Railway for semi or full express train service (w/ limited stops) to reduce travel time and prevent train fast deterioration (wear & tear)
2. Exclusive railway for Freight (container/cargo) train to accelerate the flow of goods and reduce no. of truck or lorry in roads/highway.
3. Airport express railway system that is directly connected link to a Centralise Transport Terminal with hotel facility.
“A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It’s where the rich use public transport”
– paraphrased from Enrique Penalosa, former Mayor of Bogotá, Colombia
https://m.facebook.com/notes/navdeep-asija/famous-quotes-on-sustainable-transportation/10152125174345434/?refid=52%5D
Except for the LRT, FMarcos did not improve our train system because his allies & politicians (Farinas, Singson, et.al) own the bus franchise. Maybe same reason why our government still cannot or won’t invest more on trains MRT or mass transport system.
Even buses in Metro Manila are owned or controlled by Politicians. Provincial buses also use roads & operate also in Metro Manila.
Maybe main concern our Government is providing employment for drivers of bus, jeepneys, taxis, FX, tricycle, and pedicab. An AMPAW way of JOB CREATION by our leaders with lazy & idle mind.
Maybe if efficient Mass Transport System (long distant Train) was done before all over Luzon or nationwide, then everything will be decentralized from Metro Manila and it will not be this congested/over populated.
“Politicians (even if they were sincere) cannot solve all these problem because they have no technical capabilities, poor problem solving skills and lacks observations/imagination (no vision) and bad organization skills (since politician are mostly lawyers – nature of work are disputes/chaos).
FMarcos wasted 20yrs.
1-LRT
Leaders since EDSA wasted 3Oyrs (2 MRT lines)
Total of 50 wasted years (4 MRT/LRT).
Lee Kuan Yew made Singapore from a dump to 1st world for only 30yrs. (it only take 1 man with vision).
Singapore Mass Rapid
Number of lines = 6
Number of stations = 113
Daily ridership = 2.899 million (2014)
Operation Began operation
November 7, 1987; 27 years ago
Totally agree. The last thing Manila needs is more roads.
You are right. RAIL is the answer. Question: What does every major modern metropolis (Singapore, Hong Kong, New York, etc.) have that we don’t? Answer: A modern RAIL way system. The MRT is severely under-engineered. THE GOVERNMENT MAKES TOO MUCH MONEY OUT OF THE CHAOS! We have to decrease the number of all classes of vehicles on EDSA.
WHO and HOW can we solve all our Problems?
“Politicians (even if they were sincere) cannot solve all these problem because they have no technical capabilities, poor problem solving skills and lacks observations/imagination (no vision) and bad organization skills, since ruling Profession or majority of our POLITICIANS (President/Leaders) in Government or Congress are ff.:
a. Popular Actors/Media personalities – whose nature of work is movies/TV (fantasy or Sports not real world), or Sports Celebrities (muscle & brawn) often lack of political acumen due to poor observation & awareness (spoiled) of the real problems of our country. An actor/boxer/newscaster turned politicians can easily be manipulated (puppet) by people around him, because they are so used to reading Script or Teleprompter, and follow instructions given buy their a Coaches or Directors.
Just because someone is popular (name recognition & charisma to capture votes and manipulate our mass with looks, smooth talk, act, sing or dance and box around important issues) doesn’t make him a good President.
b. Lawyers – whose nature of work are chaos/disputes of legal matters (negative). They simply talk or discuss & disagree/argue with one another and often forgets logic and reasoning. So they usually end up fighting w/ one another. Thus, no one cares anymore, who is right and who is wrong. All that matters is who is friend and who is foe.
“Being in a fight creates a new frame of mind, attitudes, expectations, and reactions that comes w/ arguing. Because the parts of the brain that handle reason and logic will be dormant. And the parts of the brain that handle hostile attacks — the fight-or-flight response — lit up.”
This is why our political system is so divided and Philippines remains to be a 3rd World.
We need Leaders from other professions like the ff.:
a. Architects/Engineers – whose nature of is to Create/Build/Plan (positive)
b. Doctors – (Dr. Mahathir) who cured & made Malaysia a very healthy (wealthy) nation.
Architects, Engineers, planners, Scientist, researchers & technical people are trained to solve all these problems because they have the capability, experience & know how to design, plan & construct building, community & cities – making all our lives & environment better & safer.
SO WHY NOT USE THEM?
1. @ >$25billion annual remitance, Philippines main Export commodity are OFW – modern day hero or a form of slavery? Philippines rank 103 in the 2014 Global Slavery Index
http://www.globalslaveryindex.org/download/
In fact, real population control measure will never be implemented to maintain a continuous supply of cheap/quality labor and organ/stem cell donor to the world.
Our money (Philippine Peso) is backed by the U.S. $ or other Foreign Currency from:
1. Remitances our OFW bring
2. Generated by our BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) or IPO (Industrial Process Outsourcing.
Without these Foreign Currency – our Peso is basically worthless and trading will be difficult or impossible.
Nothing is wrong with overseas employment, but the sad part is we Export our Best People (OFW w/c are hard-working, productive, highly skilled & intellectual) to which result to “Brain Drain”. And forever relied on their dollar remittances to fuel our economy. Those left behind (lazy & AMPAW) who are tasked or voted to lead our nation and others are appointed to vital positions in the government.
“It stands to reason that where there’s sacrifice, there’s someone collecting sacrificial offerings. Where there’s service, there’s someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice, speaks of slaves and master, and intends to be the master” – Ayn Randolph
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/500918/economy/moneyandbanking/infographic-where-26-92b-of-ofw-remittances-come-from
I say it again: Who placed (P)Abaya in power? Or should I say who placed the people who placed (P)Abaya in power? :v
Whoever the hell they are, they also deserved to be ran over by a speeding vehicle, get crushed in between two vehicles stuck in traffic, or gassed inside a gas chamber with lead and carbon monoxide coming from vehicle fumes…..
Nobody gives way to anybody. Everyone just angles, points, dives directly toward his destination, pretending it is an all-or-nothing gamble. People glare at one another and fight for maneuvering space. All parties are equally determined to get the right-of-way–insist on it. They swerve away at the last possible moment, giving scant inches to spare. The victor goes forwards, no time for a victory grin, already engaging in another contest of will. Failippines traffic is the Failipino’s life, a continuous charade of posturing, bluffing, fast moves, tenacity and surrenders.
In the Failippines, Failipinos takes more than four to eight hours just to get to their target destinations, through traffic that existed in an entirely different space-time.
Failippines traffic isn’t like normal traffic. It’s armed combat, a war of wills, in which only the very bravest and battle-hardened have a chance to survive.
I tried writing an article discussing a similar topic. But since Ilda said it better, I will just add a “wish”. In what I have written, I said there that I have daydreamed of a president who will come out on TV one evening to deliver this speech:
“My dear fellow countrymen,
I will be very honest and frank with you in this address. I offered my services last campaign period and you elected me in office to find solutions to the nation’s problems. So here I am with a solution.
One of our biggest problem is our heavily congested roads and let me remind you all that the word “traffic” to point this out is wrong. I’m sorry to tell you that the way I see it, the ultimate solution to the problem is to reduce the population and establishments in Metro Manila and relocate it in the provinces. For my part, ladies and gentlemen, I am ordering that the Office of the President be moved in (his choice of place) to set an example for everyone. What will remain here are small satellite offices enough to accommodate the usual transactions. The same goes to some of the offices of the cabinet. In our time and age of technology, I don’t see any reason why we cannot communicate or deliver some services electronically despite the physical distances. We have the internet and our mobile phones that have already made the world smaller. If we can spread gossips and rumors as fast as lightning using these media, why can’t we utilize those too in official transactions and other important matters? With that, there will be no more excuses to absences and tardiness in important meetings, don’t you agree? Unless you either have an emergency or simply just died.
And also as a first step to this, I am issuing an executive order suspending all construction permits of tall buildings of specified height, purpose, and projected occupants within Metro Manila effective immediately. All vehicle registrations will be strictly scrutinized by the LTFRB and the AFP will be joining in inspecting if those who are applying for registration have garages or sufficient space to keep their vehicles. Otherwise, their registration application will be suspended if not disapproved. All vehicle distributors will be ordered to return the money of their customers whose vehicle registrations are denied to allow them to purchase parking space first.
Included in that executive order is a directive to the MMDA to tow all vehicles that appears to be obstructing roads, parked along sidewalks or simply parked in No Parking zones. The office is also ordered to immediately demolish all structures obstructing roads, alleys, and sidewalks. I will fully extend my immunity to the MMDA in this exercise.
I am ordering the DENR also to review the requirements of the Environmental Compliance Certificate with me. It appears that the impact of projects in our roads have been overlooked.
I am ready to face any opposition regarding this move. And if any of you successfully impeach or oust me for this reason, fine. Go get yourself another president and solve this problem yourselves. I have tried to give you an honest, no BS assessment of the country’s problems and offered solutions that we can all talk about and if removal from office is what I’ll get, I will gladly and honorably accept it. But when you do that I want you to answer me looking straight in to my eyes: what is it exactly in my oath that I violated?
You voted for me based on my competence founded on limited knowledge as an imperfect human being and I used my constitutional (which means people-given) privilege to appoint a set of people based on their abilities to help me run this government for you, and here’s what you get. I take it also that in finding the solution, it also means I am not going to sugarcoat the problem so that you will be well-informed and understand its magnitude to the best that I can explain it so that, and in the hope, you too will help think of a solution.
I am your leader but I am not Superman (who himself also failed to rescue some of his friends). At the end of the day, I’m just here to organize you, my beloved fellowmen, in facing our national challenges. I am not here to carry you like damsels in distress. Most of you are mature enough to stand up for yourself and if you are not yet, then it’s time to be one. The attitude of throwing all of the blame to the president should end in my administration and we should begin making ourselves accountable to our country individually.
If you want to solve this problem then I will say to you loud and clear: make the sacrifice. We’ve always admired heroes for their sacrifices so now I call on you all to make the same thing. Because if you will not, I will not hear your whining anymore and instead move on to other problems and with you, I’ll just enjoy the suffering…”
this is a knock-out vincent. this kind of message should be presented to all presidentiables in the upcoming #Eleksyon2016.
Thank you, cats.
The point is I want a president who has balls enough to be honest to his people when problems seems unsolvable and that he needs help. Not shower them with data trying to convince us that we are still surrounded with flowers and rainbows when in truth we are in big trouble.
I noticed that in SONAs (not only PNoy’s) we are always presented with data, graphs and figures that seemed nothing more than drawings of lines going up and down to most Filipinos. And that is suppose to tell us that things aren’t bad as we thought.
Sending hope is I think the objective of the president in doing this and I get that. However, sending hope may be one of his many tasks but another is transparency. He should stop telling us that we are still surrounded with rainbows and flowers when actually we are in big trouble. I want a president who will not be scared to tell the people that he seemed to be running out of solutions and taps the people for help. Never mind the critics. They live to criticize and they will die if they stop. I hope to see a president that sees his people as a source of solution rather than spoiling them like babies that needs to be spoon-fed or pampered all the time.
as john lennon said in his famous song, “you may say, im a dreamer, but im not the only one…”, you’re not the only one indeed, vincent. and im sure as hell there are more out there who have the same sentiments as you. what you said is still attainable, and im in hope we can still find that one character who really have balls to admit and present the harsh reality in our wretched country, & has the most feasible yet inconvenient solutions laid on the table.
“If you want to solve this problem then I will say to you loud and clear: make the sacrifice. We’ve always admired heroes for their sacrifices so now I call on you all to make the same thing. Because if you will not, I will not hear your whining anymore and instead move on to other problems”
Glad to see a President (though still made-up at this point) who’s not patronizing and grateful of its people for nothing. It’s obvious that majority of the population lack the discipline, are law breakers and too dependent to government dole outs but you won’t hear a word or see a move from the government correcting them because they set the precedent for it. They always try to sugarcoat the things that are bad for our country saying “nothing’s wrong with you, people, you’re doing great just by being what you are. Be proud to be Pinoy” because they know the gullible crowd will always retaliate with, “right back at ya.” To quote Ilda, “the government is only as good as the people who put them there”.
Questions to the “elites” and the “good people” of our society. Really, you want to be represented with these kinds of leaders? Reminder: your choice of leader will reflect your core competencies and values.
It’s so depressing that people like vincent, cats and naknak and romeo are just a few small voices in a sea of irrational noise.
Still, at least they exist. At least the Pinoy Pride brigade haven’t won yet.
However, you guys need to realise: it’s ALMOST too late. The breeding program of the Church is producing more and more Godless, compliant idiots. Sooner or later, you’ll be outnumbered so heavily there will be no chance of redemption. Get yourselves into local positions of influence: barangay captain, city mayor, etc. That’s where you have a chance of making big changes, which perhaps will spread from there.
“Get yourselves into local positions of influence: barangay captain, city mayor, etc. That’s where you have a chance of making big changes, which perhaps will spread from there.”
@marius, Funny, you’re starting to sound like the Failipinos you criticized. What’s depressing is the notion that big changes can only happen if we get into government positions. It’ll be more appealing, to me at least, if you tell us to be like Jose Rizal or Bill Gates or Steve Jobs (and be a hero or philanthropist afterwards :D) because to quote Edward R. Murrow, “A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.”
Not exactly. Note that I didn’t suggest you run for President. The President is powerless.
My point was that the people currently in MINOR positions – mayor, especially – run little private fiefdoms. Because they are small enough not to merit much attention from the State, they answer to nobody. They have a great deal of power to do good, or to do evil.
Many of them are on a huge ego-trip, and they see it as their mission to ensure no Filipino could EVER become Bill Gates. Therefore, if you want a peaceful transition to proper statehood, those people must be removed and replaced with decent people. They are the ones who decide whether the local bureaucracy functions properly, or whether the local BIR officers are allowed free rein to pillage local businesses. Those are the things that hold people back, not national policy as such.
Lee Kuan Yew once commented that he couldn’t do what he did with any entity bigger than Singapore. You’re not going to fix the Philippines. But you might be able to fix little bits of it.
What other choices do you have? Let’s say, for example, you wanted to set up a private transport network across the country. You couldn’t do it. Six different government departments, all with overlapping remits, would be on your back to tell you that you can’t. If you went ahead regardless, you’d be quietly disposed of.
No offense Marius but I already thought of that before. But I saw something in the Filipino voters that I told myself “try another way.” Mahatma Gandhi, yes Jose Rizal and (recently) Nick Joaquin are my considered models. They didn’t have to hold public office but they made an impact in history.
Vincent, I admire your stance, but you (since you are, I assume, a Filipino) must be well aware of the national propensity to shoot the messenger … literally.
Gandhi prevailed against the British because he was able to demonstrate that their behavior was inconsistent with their self-image. They colonizers saw themselves as fundamentally decent people introducing a benighted country to the benefits of civilisation. And in a way, they were: British Law, business philosophy, and technology did help India. It’s a pity that India rejected all of that: Britain developed those things from hard-won experience, and India chose to re-invent the wheel. They are only recently discovering that fact.
The Philippines is a completely different ball game. Instead of a flawed but well-intentioned ruling class, you have an oligarchy which is determined to keep the masses poor, stupid, and rabidly xenophobic. In that context, Ghandi would have been shot within 24 hours .. by the very people he was trying to support. You live in a deeply violent, overly-emotional society where lies are truth, sin is righteousness, and guns are for sale on every street corner.
I wouldn’t like to see people like you become martyrs. You need to find a different way.
Galit-galit yata mga cabinet secretaries. DOH secretary could have informed him the dangers of traffic congestion. And DOH should’ve been working with DENR also because of the pollution risk in our health, there should’ve been better environmental program which will have an affect also in our tourism sector and so on and so forth…
BS Aquino mentioned that heavy traffic is a sign of progressing economy. how about the 2.6 billion pesos lost because of super-heavy-mega-traffic the common juan needs to undergo everyday including the MRT problem?
basic math:
2.6 x 5 (working days)
= 13 billion lost in 5 days
fuuuudddgee!