Whoever thought of making Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque take the Metro Rail Transit 3 and Light Rail Transit on Thursday could not have been more unoriginal, uninspired and downright deceitful.
It’s unoriginal because other public figures have pulled the same stunt before, in varying degrees of sincerity and success.
Former Transportation and Communication Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya attempted the same gesture, but he did so with aides protectively around him and during not-so-hectic hours. The result? Railway woes persisted well into the next administration and now he faces graft and plunder charges on allegations of irregularity in the maintenance contract. The letter “P” was attached to his name—“pabaya,” or negligent, and he will never be able to recover from this infamy.
Senator Grace Poe did so, too, and much more quietly. She braved the lines and brought herself to the sea of bodies of commuters. At that time she was preparing to lead a committee hearing on commuters’ woes. Hardly calling attention to herself, Poe came across as more believable in the role of wanting to put herself in the shoes of the long-suffering people.
Another lawmaker, Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon, also took the train from his southern city to the north, so he could attend sessions at the House of Representatives. He often posted his pictures on social media, and offered interesting first-hand accounts of what it was like to be caught in a rail mishap while rushing on the way to work.
Now the Palace spokesperson said he would do the same so that he could experience what ordinary commuters felt like, every day, and so he could talk to transport officials about his observations.
What a patently belated move. If transport officials felt they needed a Palace official to convince them that there was a problem, then they are indeed delusional. Was not the August 2014 derailment near the Taft Avenue station, where several passengers were injured, enough? Was it not clear there was a problem when queues extended for hundreds of meters during rush hour, when it was too crowded a young woman fell ill, lost her balance and subsequently her arm, or when a coach decoupled from the rest of the train?
Media friends in tow, and reportedly inconveniencing regular passengers who were prevented from boarding the train—however late they might be for their appointments—Roque then issued his verdict: “Not bad.” He also dismissed the problem as only being due to the lack of carriages.
What is important, he said, is that the President is consciously trying to get to know the sentiments of the people.
We suggest no more similar acts be contemplated in the future. It looks contrived and artificial, purely for cosmetic purposes. If our officials really want to know how we feel, they would subject themselves to the awful public transport system, not only on days when there are cameras around, but every day, giving ample allowance for travel time so that their actual working hours would not be shortened. Moreover, if they want to do something, they should have started doing so upon assuming office, more than a year ago.
We agree with Roque, though. The train situation is “not bad.” It’s very bad.