San Fernando Terminal opened
Sun Star Editorial: Law may be harsh but it must be fair
THE dry-run operation of the City of San Fernando Terminal has been causing inconvenience and extra expenses for numerous commuters, especially those who now have to ride tricycles to and from their daily destinations. Thanks to the City Government's "load-and-unload-at-the-terminal-only" policy.
Even the drivers of passenger jeepneys are complaining. Reports say that they have to pay P10 every time they enter the city's central terminal. Ten pesos means a lot for the giver -- and the receiver. Ten pesos for every trip is enough to inflict pain in the poor driver's shallow pocket. For the receiver, the same amount, if combined with the all the P10 being collected from every jeepney driver, becomes a huge sum at the end of the day.
Folk who have their own cars, SUVs, or motorcycles are not affected by the new public transport loading and unloading scheme. They can always park their vehicles in front of their workplaces or destinations. But for the commuters, who greatly outnumber the vehicle owners, it's an entirely different story.
Passenger jeepneys are no longer allowed to pick up commuters in front of their workplaces, particularly along the Jose Abad Santos Avenue, according to reports. They are no longer allowed to unload passengers in front of the scores of establishments along former Gapan-San Fernando-Olongapo road.
The poor employees of the establishments now have to spend some more minutes or extra distance in going to the central terminal before they can go to their workplaces. And by doing so, they have to spend more money from their daily wages for tricycle rides from and to the terminal.
It's very easy to become apathetic to their predicaments. It is very easy not to think about it. Everyone, including the SUV-riding individuals, has his or her own problems. "Problema na nila yon" would be an easy phrase to utter. Someone I used to work with would even say in jest: "Ganyan talaga, ipinanganak silang mahirap."
But indifference is the one thing that keeps our country in its present condition. It is the same thing that keeps our people wondering why Filipinos can have sense of discipline abroad but could not have one in their own country. If an "unaffected" person would just put his/her feet in the shoes of one of the complaining commuters, we're pretty sure that it will make a big difference.
The City Government's intention in implementing the terminal policy may be noble but the plight of the ordinary people must also be considered. The law may be harsh, we can understand that. But the law must also be fair to everyone.
It is unfair for a low-salaried employee along the "no loading/no unloading" zones to spend extra money just to go to and from work. It is unfair to prohibit jeepneys from loading and unloading passengers in places where tricycle drivers have all the right to do so.
It is unfair to drain commuters of their much-needed earnings for the day and allow tricycle drivers to have a happy "thank-you-terminal" day.
We understand that the new scheme is still in its "experimental" stage. But we also understand that a growing number of people have been complaining about this experiment. Evidently, something needs to be done here in the soonest time possible.
THE dry-run operation of the City of San Fernando Terminal has been causing inconvenience and extra expenses for numerous commuters, especially those who now have to ride tricycles to and from their daily destinations. Thanks to the City Government's "load-and-unload-at-the-terminal-only" policy.
Even the drivers of passenger jeepneys are complaining. Reports say that they have to pay P10 every time they enter the city's central terminal. Ten pesos means a lot for the giver -- and the receiver. Ten pesos for every trip is enough to inflict pain in the poor driver's shallow pocket. For the receiver, the same amount, if combined with the all the P10 being collected from every jeepney driver, becomes a huge sum at the end of the day.
Folk who have their own cars, SUVs, or motorcycles are not affected by the new public transport loading and unloading scheme. They can always park their vehicles in front of their workplaces or destinations. But for the commuters, who greatly outnumber the vehicle owners, it's an entirely different story.
Passenger jeepneys are no longer allowed to pick up commuters in front of their workplaces, particularly along the Jose Abad Santos Avenue, according to reports. They are no longer allowed to unload passengers in front of the scores of establishments along former Gapan-San Fernando-Olongapo road.
The poor employees of the establishments now have to spend some more minutes or extra distance in going to the central terminal before they can go to their workplaces. And by doing so, they have to spend more money from their daily wages for tricycle rides from and to the terminal.
It's very easy to become apathetic to their predicaments. It is very easy not to think about it. Everyone, including the SUV-riding individuals, has his or her own problems. "Problema na nila yon" would be an easy phrase to utter. Someone I used to work with would even say in jest: "Ganyan talaga, ipinanganak silang mahirap."
But indifference is the one thing that keeps our country in its present condition. It is the same thing that keeps our people wondering why Filipinos can have sense of discipline abroad but could not have one in their own country. If an "unaffected" person would just put his/her feet in the shoes of one of the complaining commuters, we're pretty sure that it will make a big difference.
The City Government's intention in implementing the terminal policy may be noble but the plight of the ordinary people must also be considered. The law may be harsh, we can understand that. But the law must also be fair to everyone.
It is unfair for a low-salaried employee along the "no loading/no unloading" zones to spend extra money just to go to and from work. It is unfair to prohibit jeepneys from loading and unloading passengers in places where tricycle drivers have all the right to do so.
It is unfair to drain commuters of their much-needed earnings for the day and allow tricycle drivers to have a happy "thank-you-terminal" day.
We understand that the new scheme is still in its "experimental" stage. But we also understand that a growing number of people have been complaining about this experiment. Evidently, something needs to be done here in the soonest time possible.
Labels: olongapo, san fernando, terminal
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
6:39 AM
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