Bus-tards

I, along with several thousand other commuters, didn’t get to work or home on time, thanks to some bus drivers and operators who felt like going on strike.

I really don’t take the bus when reporting to work, but as the domino effect implies, one thing leads to another, and before I knew it, it took me an hour before I could get a cab.

Now I may not know a thing about a bus operation, but I’m sure that this development has stirred quite a ruckus and caused inconvenience of epic proportions.

And while I don’t understand bus drivers and operators, I’m allowed to retaliate with this blog because they didn’t give a sh** about the commuters – the very foundation of the public transportation industry.

You drivers and operators are ranting about the MMDA being unfair about implementing this coding scheme, acting like this whole franchise thing is some sort of birthright. Well guess what? It isn’t it. Owning a franchise is a privilege granted by the government, not a right. So you don’t have any right acting so tough, paralyzing transportation and getting away with it.

With so many problems going on in this country right now, an unreasonable transport strike is the last thing we need. And though these dorks think that their fighting for a noble cause, I can see it as nothing more but an selfish anarchic act, similar to the riot and the FX strike along EDSA-North Ave. These people are fighting for themselves, unlike PISTON, which usually opposes oil price hikes which affects everybody.

Imposing the coding scheme on buses is MMDA’s way of offering some solution to the eternal traffic jams. With so many vehicles taking EDSA, fewer buses on the road should be good thing. If a few hundred would stay clear of EDSA, then that would free up a lot of space up. Take note, I said a few hundred. I’m not saying ALL buses should stop gracing EDSA.

People have their right to the freedom of speech, but the government has the right to implement laws, especially if it will benefit the majority. Come to think of it, what are these bus operators getting mad at anyway? The coding scheme for buses is a win-win situation for commuters, drivers of private vehicles and operators of other public utility vehicles. With other buses staying in their respective terminals in a particular day, it translates into less competition for those on the road, ergo more passengers and profit. In addition, there would be partially smoother traffic situation for everyone to enjoy.

And if taxis, jeepneys and FXs are obligated to put up with this ruling, why should buses be any exception, especially if this move would also benefit them?

For this kind of reasoning, the people behind this bus strike would offer poverty as their excuse. Afraid that a single day could spell a huge difference to their income, they (bus drivers and operators) cry, “What about our families?”, “Would you prefer that we steal from others for our needs?”

But may I ask, what about the law? Is disrupting public order lawful, especially if done on such motive, acceptable? Is poverty really a valid excuse for violating the law? If your answer to these questions is yes, please read this post all over again until you start answering no.

The problem here is that, whenever the law favors us, we praise it, support it, and defend it from the depths of our soul. But whenever it doesn’t, we oppose it. We have to understand that the government can’t say “yes” to every request we make. The government has to make laws that will favor the majority, not everybody. Besides, going back on the 8th paragraph from the top, coding scheme will benefit everybody anyway, so what’s with the opposition?

Until I get an answer to that question, kudos MMDA. Tow them buses for rebelling against positive change.