Malapit na, mga friends from overseas…malapit na ninyong makita ang isang malaking pagbabago sa Philippine highways and roads…
Ipagpantasya nyo kaya- kapag kayo ay nagbalikbayan next year at dumalaw sa inyu- inyong birthplace sa probinsya…e di sasakay kayo ng bus papunta doon- hmm, parang may kakaiba. Kapag nahiligan nyo namang mamili ng pasalubong sa 168 o Divisoria Mall at nagcommute na lang (kasi naman, magagasgasan lang ang kotseng gagamitin nyo (di pa sayo kundi pag- aari ng kapatid, pinsan, tiya or tiyo, etc), hmmm, may kakaiba rin yata…take a cab na lang kaya to meet former class-mates for a reunion…hmm, may kakaiba yata talaga.
‘Am I in the Philippines, in Manila, in Divisoria?,’ you may ask yourself. Parang iba na.
And suddenly it dawns on you- bakit well- behaved na ang mga drivers? Di na panay change lanes na halos masuka ang pasahero sa hilo; di nakikipaggitgitan sa fellow public utility vehicle in an attempt na makauna sa sakayan sa pasahero; di na umeekis- ekis sa daan sa paghahanap ng malulusutan sukdang magasgasan pa ang minamanehong jeepney na ipinagkatiwala lang naman sa kanya ng kanyang operator; wala na ring gaanong nakabalandra sa gitna ng lansangan sa dahilang bumigay ang isang bahagi ng makina or tuluyang pumutok na ang kalbung- kalbong gulong(at tatlong beses pa ang kakalbuhan ng spare tire nya) and is now causing a slowdown in traffic and trying the patience of the very impatient Pinoy commuter and other drivers; and surprise!, well groomed si jeepney driver- great lover, what is happening? Kaaya- aya ang halimuyak sa loob ng jeepney, di amoy- putok si mr. driver, mukha pang plantsado ang bagong- suot na tshirt and, take note- bagong gupit!
We all just hope and wish! Kaya nga ang tuwa ng marami dito sa atin nang maa-nunsyo ang pagre retraining ng mga public utility vehicle drivers nationwide last week. At start of this week, pilot safety retrainings will start with bus drivers plying the out- of town/ provincial routes and coming in to MetroManila as initial ‘guinea pigs’ (mga sampol baga)
Simple as the activity seems, I think this is a great idea hatched by TESDA( Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) and other non government and government offices and associations. Kung nasusundan nyo kasi ang mga bali balita simula pa noong bago magPasko last year, naging kagimbal- gimbal ang maraming reports ng road accidents involving buses. Ang nagiging victims are the bus passengers mismo pati na rin innocent bystanders on the road and passengers of other vehicles.
TESDA has, over the years, earned a good reputation and the respect especially from foreign companies who hire Pinoy skilled workers. Kalimitan, di na nakararating sa 2nd base ang mga aplikante kapag di nabasa sa resume nila na nagkaroon sila ng training sa TESDA. Ganun daw ito katindi magtraining. It will not issue a certificate of completion unless the trainee has truly and sincerely mastered the particular field he has come to train in. Sad to say, medyo nawitness ko rin ito personally. I sponsored a young boy who took IT training at TESDA. He was not issued his certificate after 3 or 4 months training kasi, the trainors did not deem him deserving- in short, he was not good enough. I am sad for the young boy na di nakayanan ng powers nya ang pumasa ( more chances pa naman in future) but I am OK na rin cos’ I know that is the way to sift/ screen workers so that we are sure to provide the best ones to requesting employers. Di mapapahiya ang worker, tataas ang productivity ng employer, and kikislap ang ningning ng bayan in providing truly skilled workers to the world.
Kaya nga ang laki ng pag- asa ng lahat ng gumagamit ng lansangan na makayanan ng ahensiyang ito ang matinding retraining na kailangang kailangan ng hmmm, baka 80% ng Philippine road users/ drivers. They will have to enroll with the SEED (Safety, Economical, and Environment- Friendly Driving) program, a refresher course on basic and advanced training competency and critical driver skills (maintenance procedures, driving preparations and post driving procedure, road courtesy and accident- response procedure). At the start, voluntary pa lang ang enrolment until the Transportation Office of government come up with its set of guidelines regarding the activity.
Naku, kailangan i- MUST ito! Pre- requisite sa pag apply/ renew ng drivers’license. That is a way of minimizing the maniacs/ ignoramuses on Philippine roads. This way, mabawasan man ang mga items na ikinakabit ng ilan sa ‘Only in the Philippines’ series nila, at least, tanggal naman itong isang masamang pinagkakakilanlanan sa ating mga Pinoy ( sabi ng ibang foreigners, talo pa raw natin ang mga Italians sa panggugulang sa lansangan- kakaliwa/ punta sa kanan- walang signal- signal dyan; busina nang busina kapag naiirita sa sinusundang mabagal nasasakyan; nilulusutan ang traffic lights; hilig mag- overtake kahit walang emergency maisahan lang ang kinaiinisang katabing sasakyan, worst of all, ang pagbubuga ng mabahong exhaust smoke ng kanilang diesel fuel mula sa tambutsong di naman nililinis- hay naku talaga naman, karaming kawalang –etiketang pinaggagagawa sa kalye, kainis talaga for the ordinary commuter and law- abiding driver.).
Check for yourself when you visit the country next year. Medyo kulang na ang ‘ambiance’ng lansangan because our public utility drivers will have changed ways- but for the better naman. Marami ang hihinga na nang maluwag.
…Maraming salamat po sa lahat ng nag I inquire and are very interested about the farm- residence that I am putting up in Tanay, Rizal lalo na ang Tanay group ni Mr. Mark Alejan. Rest assured that it will be built with all your suggestions in mind.
THANK YOU, TORONTO!
