EDITORIAL – Withdraw special plates

Last year, the leadership of the House of Representatives said the chamber had withdrawn all “8” protocol plates issued to members of previous Congresses. In a memorandum dated Nov. 16, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco urged congressmen to submit to his office all “8” plates issued to members of previous Congresses. New ones would be issued for members of the current Congress, he said, only after all the expired ones have been surrendered.

Better yet, the Marcos administration should scrap the use of protocol plates, except for the president and the officials in the line of presidential succession: the vice president, Senate president and speaker of the House of Representatives. Giving VIP treatment to vehicles with protocol plates generates public resentment, especially in crowded cities where millions must endure regular traffic gridlocks. The ban on “wang-wang” was one of the most popular reforms implemented by Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III during his presidency.

The House announced the recall of the “8” plates amid apprehensions of drivers of vehicles with the protocol plates for traffic violations. Velasco’s memorandum has either been ignored, or those who were issued the plates are among the comprehension-challenged Filipinos. And congressmen aren’t alone in the abuse of the privilege.

Last Thursday, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority reported apprehending two SUVs, one with an “8” plate and another with a “7” – the protocol plate issued to senators – whose drivers used the EDSA busway. The MMDA ban on the use of the busway has been widely publicized. Lawmakers are supposed to tell their drivers about the ban. If the drivers were not informed, the lawmakers are ignoring the ban, either because they are illiterate or more likely simply abusing power.

MMDA enforcers steered clear of trouble and did not identify the owners of the SUVs, one of which even had a blinker, saying identification was not the agency’s job. Traffic enforcers probably didn’t want to end up like Edison Nebrija, who was suspended by MMDA Chairman Romando Artes in November as Task Force Special Operations chief after telling the media that a private vehicle had been apprehended for illegally entering the busway, but was allowed to pass because the driver said it belonged to Sen. Bong Revilla. The senator, who still owes taxpayers P124.5 million, heatedly denied that he owned the vehicle.

There are thousands of public officials who are issued protocol plates, including Cabinet members, justices and judges including magistrates presiding over special courts. Why do they deserve VIP treatment along traffic-choked streets? In progressive countries, the more important a person’s standing in society, the higher the bar is set for exemplary behavior. Philippine public officials should do the same and lead by example, eschewing VIP plates and obeying traffic rules.