Corruption is endemic here, from those who supposedly run the country (for their own ends of course), through the law enforcement, military and even businesses. I often state that the best person to run this country probably works as a pineapple picker on a Del Monte farm, but he has absolutely no chance of becoming president.
Lets take one government institution (they are all the same, I checked): LTO stands out as a corrupt government organisation. They take your money and give you nothing for it, not even a plastic driving licence, a plate for your car, a sticker for your windscreen. What do they actually do? Here’s their mission statement:
MISSION: Rationalize the land transportation services and facilities and to effectively implement the various transportation laws, rules and regulations. It is the responsibility of those involved in the public service to be more vigilant in their part in the over-all development scheme of the national leadership. Hence, promotion of safety and comfort in land travel is a continuing commitment of the LTO.
Lets disseminate that shall we? Starting with “implementation of transport laws”:
- “No Parking on National Highway”. Parking of heavy vehicles with no lights on the inside of the highway at night is common. Emission Centres and other shanty places with vehicles parked outside the (probably illegal) businesses occupying two of the three lanes of the national highway. Nothing done. Failed.
- Emission control: Most Jeepneys/multicabs are smoking wrecks, with bald tyres, no lights at night in the rain, execrable driving standards and totally unsafe as public transport. Law enforcement means stopping them, requesting their emission OR and then checking with the EC centre that passed the vehicle. If the law has been transgressed (of course it bloody has!) the EC is closed down, the owners fined and jailed. The jeepney is scrapped (I want to personally do that). “SAFETY”? “COMFORT?”. Failed .
- Driving on the wrong side of the road, crossing a solid white line, occupying all three lanes when turning left instead of just the designated outside filter lane, as well as the outside lane of the other carriageway. All vehicles fined at least P3,000 per incident (that would stop it in a couple of days). Occupying the left filter lane in order to go straight on; The signs should say “LEFT LANE MUST TURN LEFT”. Anyone who goes straight on - P3,000 fine… It will stop in a few days. Another Fail
- Driving over red lights. Instant fine of P3,000 on the spot. Cannot pay? Arrested, vehicle impounded until the fine is paid (Norway does this, you don’t find many risking the sort of fines they hand out there). If the fine is not paid within a certain time, vehicle is sold at auction. Failed
This of course is an almost endless list. If you are going to make a law, you have to enforce it. If you don’t enforce it you are wasting your time and money making it.
Now let’s check out their “Vision” statement shall we? Here it is -
VISION: A front line government agency showcasing fast and efficient public service for a progressive land transport sector.
Seriously? Frontline? Progressive? Multicabs holding the same number of people as a Wells Fargo stagecoach from the 1860s is a progressive land transport sector? The LTO in Davao doesn’t even have a bloody car park! The place resembles a South American jail/brothel and it takes ages to get anything done (failed on fast and efficient, guys). The staff are friendly and try to do their stuff as best they can, but the system is 19th century and not fit for purpose. That Vision Statement is laughable. I passed my driving test last August and got an OR, which I tried to change for a licence in June this year. Nope, didn’t happen, sorry. For something that can be turned out in minutes on a reasonable computer, it’s additionally laughable. Failed
OK, rant over, so what happens to our money? Where does it go? Where is the additional efficiency, public service and “comfort and safety” promised in these worthless statements? They don’t even do anything about the road conditions, as that is the province of DPWH, not LTO. Why aren’t the traffic laws enforced for the betterment of all, instead of ignored for the benefit of the ignorant and selfish, who seem to have more of a right to be on the road and get ahead of you than you have?
In a word CORRUPTION. Someone is trousering your money, and all you can say is “What to do, no choice”. That’s because it takes will, budget, common sense and zero corruption. Not going to happen unless the people do something about it?
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