Crime Tsunami & Psycho Bus Drivers

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Our country has deteriorated in the past decades, in so many ways.. 

I was born in 1950, grew up in the 50's, 60's & 70's, until martial law came in.  Prior to martial law, the Philippines was second in Asia, from the Commonwealth period to the last year of the presidency of the late Pres. Diosdado Macapagal.  

I have a very simplistic approach and understanding on what is bedeviling our country. For brevity, I wish to concentrate in Metro Manila. The air pollution in Metro Manila is horrible, so much so that living within, is like dwelling in a "gas chamber".  Remember that in the early days of the Cory presidency, the international community, led by no less than the diplomatic community, petitioned Pres. Cory  to do something about the worsening environment of the metropolis.  And that was in 1986!  How come the air quality in Metro Manila is getting worse, regardless of who is or who has been in control of the government?  The answer is simple:  there is no money (albeit corruption) in honestly and effectively addressing the pollution problem. 

Try reviving the project on the mothballed incenerator (thanks to the Clean Air Act) and I guarantee sparks will fly because of the cost of funding the said project.  Factually, all BIG-FUNDED infrastructure projects  in the country has generated so much interests (and so much disgrace likewise) from our patriotic politicians and bureaucrats for obvious reasons. 

Continuing, Why is there no road discipline?  Why is our traffic worsening? Why is it that three (3) millions of Filipinos (and growing) are hooked on illegal drugs?  Colorum buses? Carnapping? Kidnapping? Plunder?  Heinous crimes? And nobody seems to be in control of the country anymore.

The answers to all the foregoing questions seem to be the same: " THERE IS NO MONEY" in honestly and effectively addressing them!  For now, I am avoiding as much as I could Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, and EDSA if possible, to maintain a safe distance from bus drivers. 

I am now sixty (60) and never had I seen in my whole life such "Arrogance, Bullying of smaller vehicles, Total disregard of traffic lights, Multiple fake drivers licenses, shabu while driving etc,"  from bus drivers.  I earn a daily dosage of stress because of the breakdown of road discipline (if there is any) in practically all road network.   Nobody seems to be interested in revising the provisions of the archaic Revised Penal Code (1930 vintage) that provide soft penalty on deaths and physical injuries caused by reckless motorists, mostly by public utility drivers. 

A recent case in point is that of a jeepney driver in Samar who killed three (3) persons by reason of his reckless ways.  He managed to stay away from prison due to the outrageous low penalty, complemented by the country's "Probation Law." Yes, only in the Philippines as they say. To top it all, the THREE (3) BEREAVED FAMILIES never got a single centavo from the jeepney driver on account of his insolvency.  The jeepney owner/operator was likewise freed from any civil liability (no centavo whatsoever to the said families) by reason of a procedural technicality, courtesy of our insane legal system. 

The chicken growers in Ifugao are better off cause they get compensated for their  chickens killed by motorists (plus the estimated  future eggs to be laid  and expected chicks to be hatched). 

AS COMMENT:
I respectfully suggest that a tracking system be observed to come up with statistics, i.e. how many public utility drivers are convicted and punished; are they and the owners/operators made to pay for the damage/s caused to the injured/killed; revocation of  drivers licenses; etc.  I know for a fact that most bus drivers are allowed to ply our roads again after their recklessness, as if nothing happened.

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