It’s fatal

Dear Secretary Abaya,

I have concerns over your recent statement about traffic conditions, where you were quoted saying: “Hindi naman siguro fatal yan.” You may argue that the statement was specific to the LRT works, however, it tends to mirror the way you think about what needs to be addressed by your good office. The statement, was not only thoughtless, but is also a disservice to the public that you so serve.

Personally, I feel strongly about this and disagree with your thinking. Based on my experience, I understand and can attest to the need to have better road conditions, more so during emergencies. See, I lost my father due to heart attack. He was pronounced dead on arrival when we got to the hospital. Just early this year, my mother fell ill while we were at home. I had to transport her to the hospital in a cab, as the ambulance was taking too long to get to us. In such cases, every stop and stall matters. The hope to save someone diminishes the longer you stay on the road. Being realistic, your chances are time sensitive, and it gets slimmer, depending on how fast you can reach your destination.

I am quite confident that our brave firefighters, responding to accidents and fire would share my sentiments. So would medical health professionals attending to emergency situations, even our law enforcement officers, dispatched to distress calls. So yes it is fatal, it is a matter of life and death.

To be fair, I am not asking that you fix the traffic conditions with a wave of a magic wand. However, I expect that you do not dismiss it so easily, with a flippant remark. This does not provide us with options for a fix, nor does it help mask the incompetence and lack of action. This is the same reason I disagree with Mr. Roxas’ point that the traffic situation is a sign of progress. Although with a hint of truth, that is far more dominated by the fact that we lack of infrastructure and have very poor planning to name a few.

What I expect from you, as Secretary of the DOTC is to call a spade a spade. Acknowledge the problems, and address them. Push to find options, try different plans of what can work. Change the mindset that it is still fine and dandy. A start in this direction, would already be progress.

If after all these points, you still remain with the idea that the traffic conditions need no further action at this moment, it might be time that you revisit why you hold the position you do. It is bad enough that the public is burdened day in and day out by our transport system and the traffic situation, it need not be ‘fatal’ (by your standards) before we act. – Ma. CELINA ANGELA L. CALVENTO