Disruptor wang-wangs

When it comes to ambulances and emergency vehicles, the good news is that drivers in Metro Manila are slowly but surely learning to stop or get out of the way of such vehicles or voluntarily gives way. The bad news is that no one at the MMDA seems to have realized the need to assign a lane for emergency vehicles instead of letting them weave in and out of lanes which is highly disruptive and can cause accidents. I’ve been observing the passing of ambulances for some time and many drivers usually react to sirens by trying to figure out where the ambulance is which causes a number of cars to slow down and affects the flow of traffic. Once they see the ambulance coming their way, drivers stop, which of course creates a line of cars momentarily bunched up on both sides of a lane. Then, just when those considerate drivers begin to move back in line, they are cut off by idiots who chase after or tail an ambulance just to get ahead of everybody else.

This is the very dangerous situation that happens everyday on EDSA and C5 that is not being recognized or addressed by authorities. It might be more practical and safer if ambulances and emergency vehicles are assigned to the inner yellow lane so that fewer vehicles are affected and so that none of the private cars and motorcycles can chase or tail the ambulance. The yellow lane has more space for maneuverability and is better monitored by MMDA and HPG personnel. This will also help educate drivers about what an emergency lane is.

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DTI Secretary Mon Lopez certainly keeps his eyes on the news particularly about anything that could directly or indirectly impact his area of concern. Proof of this is his response to the announcements of the Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. that they would stop buying local pork to contain the spread of the African Swine Fever. Following this, there was the proposal of the Department of Health (DOH) to place a sin tax on salt to curb diseases and the possibility of coming out with a “low salt” to “No salt policy” in food manufacturing.

DTI Secretary Lopez offered to mediate between the local hog raisers and the PAMPI so that the association would continue to purchase local pork for their materials. What Secretary Mon Lopez may not realize is that there is no love lost between the local hog raisers and PAMPI because the local raisers consider the PAMPI as the curse to their industry for over importing pork to the point that there is now an over supply of imported pork many of which are in cold storage facilities waiting to be sold or used. So the threat of PAMPI not to buy local is actually a ruse and a double edged sword; on one side to make it appear that PAMPI supports the campaign against ASF while on the other side to justify the position of PAMPI that importation should remain open.

The basic problem of PAMPI is that there is no consistency and logic in their pronouncements. They push for imports at a time when imported pork has been fingered as the source of ASF. When boxed into a corner, they announce that PAMPI and the local hog raisers must band together to help strengthen and develop the local industry. When recent tests showed that processed meat products contained the ASF virus, they called it foul. When the Department of Agriculture and a member of Congress pushed for more tests, the PAMPI now diverts everyone’s attention by declaring they will stop buying local pork. As I pointed out, they can’t buy local pork because they already have more than they need and the resulting glut from public fear of ASF has made things worse for PAMPI. While PAMPI is effective at getting media attention, they are incompetent in terms of consistent messaging and getting the right results. PAMPI needs to realize that times have changed and people have more access to information and government is more transparent. We now live in times that require honesty and cooperation not division and distraction. Finger pointing and veiled threats no loner work and are not appreciated. It is good that Secretary Mon Lopez is offering to be the peacemaker and that should be the new direction of PAMPI members and their organization. Work toward what is good for trade and business for the Philippines and not just profit for PAMPI members.

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Secretary Mon Lopez has every reason to react to the “sin tax on salt” proposal of DOH because salt is used in majority of food and non-food products and will disrupt the cost of production and marketing of such products.  In the first place I find it dangerously illogical for someone to suggest that the best way to make people eat healthier is to tax salt. Sorry but that is over simplifying the problem and solving it with the wrong solution. Yes, Filipinos love salty foods and consume too much of the product, resulting is large numbers of medical complications. But the correct way of addressing the problem is educating Filipinos through traditional advertising campaigns, school and community based outreach lectures or programs and  imposing a salt limit on the inputs to food products just like the limits on alcohol content being followed by alcoholic beverage companies. But why only salt? The global enemy today is sugar so why not include that on the hit list? We either place a cap on what is put into the product which the government has the power to do so or educate people. Worst-case scenario, tax table or kitchen salt as packaged or advertised but not any and all salts!

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