The 2 accidents at NAIA and SCTEX are wake-up calls that we never should have needed; or have to go through
In less than a week, two accidents – one along SCTEX and just yesterday, at NAIA Terminal 1 – have taken lives. Taken unnecessarily, ended abruptly, by situations that could have been remedied so very long ago. We saw the relevant departments and individuals spring into action quickly after both occurrences. Still, the fact of the matter remains that while their remorse and empathy are welcome, that many simply failed to do what is right for countless decades now, and that is to make sure that everyone behind the wheel of a motor vehicle deserves to be there, and is fit and able to do so, lest lives be put in danger.
In less than a week, two accidents proved that this was not done.
The accidents at NAIA and SCTEX show the lack – no, absence – of responsibility and accountability of all, by all, for all
Photo: Phil. Red Cross
First of all, we know that having a driver’s license is a privilege and that it was never a right. Having one means that you have been deemed worthy, able-bodied, and of sound mind by the relevant government agency, AKA the LTO under the DOTr. But lo and behold, we all also know of the many anomalous and shady practices that the said agency and some of its people have engaged in, such as colluding with clinics to issue dubious medical certificates, giving out already-answered test papers to license applicants, having some applicants skip the entire process for a fee, heck, even issuing a license to a person who was literally blind many years ago.
Anong kalokohan ba ito?!
Okay, so that deals with the physical aspect of a would-be driver. Now comes the part of the mental fitness of one who would be a holder of the red Professional Driver’s License, a type of license that allows one to quite literally take people’s lives into his or her own hands by making driving his or her livelihood. Fast forward from the SCTEX accident, the DOTr has announced the regular and mandatory drug tests for PUV drivers, effective immediately. This one’s a no-brainer. We don’t really need to dwell on this part of being able to prove a driver’s ability and worthiness to operate a vehicle.
But if we must, drugs impede your judgment and decision-making, both of which must be on point when driving. This, along with proper relieving or substituting of drivers, plus the stricter checking of PUVs, and finally the implementation of the speed limiter law, have been put in effect.
Photo: Phil. Red Cross
In quite the same breath as above, physical and mental faculties of a driver taken into consideration, we now go to those blasted bollards that line the pedestrian walkway of NAIA Terminal 1. Quite frankly, seeing its remnants, or what remains of its base, its foundation, is utterly disgusting. Why? Bollards of this type are supposed to be planted deep enough to be able to absorb impact, to be able to stop a vehicle upon impact, but again, lo and behold, it looked like there was barely anything, more like nothing, that was holding it down and into the ground.
Let’s get past the fact that the SUV driver, whose mistakes have resulted in the tragic passing of two and the injuring of several others, does have a Driver’s License, how it was acquired, and the validity and legality of its acquisition are but the beginning facets of this problem. The bigger conundrum here is who in the world was responsible for putting up those barriers, those bollards? Why did it not work? Why was it not up to spec? Who approved its construction, its installation? And why, for the love of all that is holy, are the ones we see in NAIA Terminal 1 not the only ones that seem to be used by many other establishments?
Nakakatakot isipin na kahit hindi natin pinapansin, ganyang-ganyan halos ang ibang bollards and barriers sa paligid natin, hindi lang sa NAIA. Ligtas ba tayo, at maililigtas ba tayo ng mga iyan sa panahon ng sakuna at disgrasya? Kasi iyun dapat ang silbi ng mga iyan, eh!
Photo: Department of Transportation
All these said, can we, should we say that we have already surrendered our safety and security to systems that continue to rot the very core of legality and basic human decency, principle, responsibility, and accountability? This piece is most definitely not the first of its kind, an article that calls to those in key positions to just put up, shut up, and do something about it. And not for anything, but the current DOTr secretary you see above, Sec. Vince Dizon has been at it nonstop since he took office. Make no mistake that we thank you for all that you do, Sec. Dizon. You, sir, are doing all that you can and should, and we see you!
With that sentence, we also realize that you are fighting a long and uphill battle to fix the heavily broken system of the agencies under your wing. The fatalities, the senseless deaths that occurred along SCTEX and at NAIA, should not have happened. And if the accidents themselves could not have been avoided, perhaps some other things could have been better put in place to not result in endings as tragic.
Responsibility. Accountability. LTO. LTFRB. DOTr. The list goes on and on and on as to who we can pin the blame on for all the should-have-been-avoidable accidents, and not just these recent ones involving SCTEX buses and NAIA private vehicles. But for those of you who are reading this, let us not forget one thing. That is that for us who also hold licenses, we have an equal share of responsibility on (and off) the road and behind the wheel.
Road rage? Just don’t. Horn-honking-happy? No need. Cutting people off in retaliation? Unsafe and unwise. Flipping others off? How absolutely uncivilized. Drunk-driving or under the influence of anything intoxicating and or illegal? Criminal. Seeing someone paying someone off to get a license and not saying anything? Complicit in the crime. Someone offering anything other than the actual, legal ways of acquiring a license and not turning them in? Are you an accomplice?
Beyond being behind the wheel, whether on or off the road, along with all these government agencies who now have the entire country’s eyes on them after the sorry accidents on SCTEX and NAIA Terminal 1, more especially for us who know that we got our privileges legally, all of us have to do what is right. Let’s all practice our better judgment and put our money where our mouth is and choose safety over speed, sense or violence, and kindness over acts that may very well kill.
We’ve said that the world has become a selfish place, and if we can do anything, the smallest thing to hold responsible and accountable those who made all of these accidents possible and made protecting people impossible, then we most certainly should. With a resounding choice to change and make a positive difference, the smallest ripple can travel far and wide. And if we all begin now, there might just be hope to change this broken system.
This, before any more lives are lost. Senselessly.
