Sir, ingat kayo!

After being lambasted by news anchor Ted Failon on radio for allowing the registration of PUVs with non-appearance of owners or operators’ units; Assistant Secretary and LTO Chief Edgar Galvante undertook a mini crusade to make sure that the two Motor Vehicle Inspection Centers of the LTO underwent a revamp resulting in the replacement of some personnel. The cleansing should have been the end of the story, but apparently, not even the tirade of Ted Failon or the wrath of Asec Galvante could easily deter scalawags and criminals.

After the cleansing, the inspection and review of vehicles and documents were strictly implemented and although there was often a pile up of vehicles due to lack of space, the rules were at least followed by drivers and operators. That was while the sun was up. But when the sun went down, one LTO officer who happened to pass by noticed people were still going into the facility, heading toward the cashier and transacting at the teller. Apparently there was an independent night shift conducting business by simulating motor vehicle inspections and issuing receipts all part of non-appearance! When word reached Asec Galvante he immediately ordered the removal of the chief of the MVIC and all its inspectors.

After purging the unit of scalawags, the MVIC was given staff augmentation with provincial personnel, but the LTO director for NCR Chuck Guinto quickly found out that the lure of easy money was too much for some people. That led to a third cleansing at the MVICs that eventually put an end to the shenanigans at the MVICs of the LTO. But soon after, a friend of mine found out why people at the inspection line were falling into temptation in the past.

One morning while directing the flow of vehicles going into the MVIC, a barker or tambay casually approached one of the new inspectors and gave him this cryptic message: “Sir, Mag ingat kayo” (“be careful” / “watch your back”). To this the inspector responded by saying “ I am always careful.” But the barker responded “be careful because there is a guy down the line with a gun.” The guy reportedly claimed to be with the LTFRB and informants claim that he was just one member of a syndicate offering non-appearance /  “One Stop Service” to PUV operators transacting with the LTFRB. But when the inspectors called for back-up the “Pistolero” vanished!

The display of firepower was apparently part of intimidation tactics that have long been practiced by fixers at the LTFRB/LTO. As a result, the inspectors in the past chose to accommodate or cooperate with violators, earn some money and stay alive.

This sort of thing happens to many low level inspectors and regulators in different government agencies not just the LTO. In many LGUs, the number one target are market masters, garbage haulers etc. I know of a few who have been shot at as warning or were actually murdered for being committed to their job. The job of inspecting for violations is difficult if not unpleasant as it is. But when you know that there are no armed security or policemen assigned to cover your back, who can blame a lowly paid clerk in government who chooses to stay alive.

Since Asec Galvante and Director Guinto are both retired PNP Generals, I hope they will soon work out a security detail for their MVIC personnel. Instead of assigning police officers to alleged VIPs such as lawmakers and businessmen, let us first secure the safety of civil servants who face threat and intimidation for doing simple vehicle inspections!

Incidentally, Secretary Art Tugade and Asec Galvante should exercise political will and practicality by relocating the MVICs to Clark in Pampanga as well as the storage of impounded or arrested vehicles that the LTFRB has been dumping on two lanes of East avenue! It doesn’t help if the law enforcement agency is the first to break the law as well as add to traffic congestion. Hopefully Chairman Delgra soon gets back from his travels to pay attention to the mess his law enforcement units have created.

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 Who looks after the health and well being of senior citizens of the republic?

I recently received an invitation from the Senior Citizen’s Association of Kapitolyo, Pasig to attend a talk on Empowering Women – Physical and Mental Health Guide to Senior Women. Normally I don’t include announcements on small or local events since this space is for opinions etc. But the truth of the matter is that there are a growing number of senior citizens who are not blessed with a great family or one that can financially support and look after the health and well being of the elderly. In some cases, even those with the means don’t necessarily have the awareness or are thorough in their care for the elderly. Some assume that Lola or Lolo will speak or cry out if in pain or if not feeling well.

Sadly, that is not always the case especially for those experiencing mental illness such as depression, dementia etc. The practice here is for the patient to see the doctor but not the other way around. I remember watching a program on NHK (Japan TV) where local governments had employees or volunteers who regularly visit the registered Senior Citizens in the Community and through a series of engagements and questions, the “monitors” collected data and reported on the physical and mental health of elderly citizens.

In Europe, the personal physician can call local hospitals or “public nurses” to check on patients who may have challenges to care for themselves, to monitor if elderly patients take their prescriptions etc. We need to establish such a system in the Philippines, we need to do more than just give senior citizens discount, we need to check on them just like they all used to check on us when we were kids.

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