The Wang-wang Syndrome

I almost got late this week due to the operation conducted by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) along the main highway of Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City. The operation was an offshoot of what I consider the mandate of P-Noy (President Noynoy) as he proclaimed in his inaugural speech that he will not use blaring sirens (wang-wang), as long as it’s not necessary. He even promised to stop at traffic lights.

The speech prompted officials from LTO to confiscate loud sirens installed in private and passenger utility vehicles. The inspection operated by the LTO caused a long queue of vehicles early morning. It irks the passengers for they might get late to school or office.

I can understand this feeling because the law that penalizes and ban the use of these instruments had been passed long time ago. It is Presidential Decree 96, which was passed in January 13, 1973, that ban its use except for Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Bureau of Investigation, hospital ambulances for exercise of their functions or in response to emergency. It also exempts the President of the Republic of the Philippines, his Vice President, the Senate President, the Speaker of the House, and the Chief Justice.

Reality is even relatives of local politicians are using it to evade traffic and as opined by a newspaper columnist, used wang-wang so as not to be late in her emergency shopping.

As pointed out in the preceding paragraph, the law had been in-placed four decades ago. It only gets so much attention because it’s the president who himself declared that he is not using it even he is privileged to do so. The LTO should have conducted inspection and apprehended erring public long time ago.

Wang-wang should not have been part of the inaugural speech of the president. It’s a little deed but had become a problem because many people exploited it. Big problem is an aggregate of little ones. It has been ignored for so long by the authority.

In the provinces, you hear wang-wang only when there are emergencies or when public officials want to announced their presence.

I am glad that P-Noy is setting a good tone to every Filipino. We can do our share in nation-building by following what we consider petty things in the daily grind of our lives i.e. following simple traffic rules, disposing properly our garbage, etc. These are the little things that had been advocated by the losing Senator-candidate Atty. Lacson.

Let us help the government by doing little things in our community and let the government attend to the bigger problem of our country. Hand-in-hand, government and its people working together, there is no reason why we can’t achieve our dream of  being a progressive country where everybody has food to eat and so on.

I have heard and read beautiful things about our country in the past. Story has it that we were considered next to Japan during the Quirino administration. Story has it that people in Singapore had once dreamt of living in the Philippines because our country is progressive than theirs. But it was once upon a time; it’s a reverse reality now. Filipinos are migrating to Singapore. One decade ago, we were even considered the Tiger Economy of Asia during the Ramos administration.

Today, with the Aquino administration, there is no other way than progress for our country. Hope corruption will diminish. The transport regulatory agencies should also be cleaned. We heard first-hand experiences of corruption in LTO and LTFRB from people who do business with them.

Unlad Mahal kong Pilipinas!

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 THE WANG-WANG JOKES:

Reporter          : Mr. President, mukhang tahimik ngayon ang kapatid nyong si Kris.

P-Noy              : Di mo ba narinig ang speech ko? Wala nang wang-wang!”

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Miriam             : Mr. President, ako ba covered ng order nyo na walang wang-wang?

P-Noy              : Ah hindi. Weng-weng naman ang sa iyo, eh.