By Robert B. Roque, Jr.
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) faces a big challenge, with 65% of motor vehicles running without proper registration, resulting in a loss of P37.15 billion this year alone. It also underscores that lawlessness, running at 60-80 kilometers per hour, has become the norm on our highways. That’s ridiculous!
LTO Chief Vigor Mendoza is not hiding the reality that systemic failures are partly to blame for hindering efficient registration processes. In many ways, there has been negligence in streamlining registration procedures. Add to that laxity in oversight and inadequate infrastructure that widens the gap to enforce compliance among millions of motorists who defy the law.
But even more shocking is Mendoza’s recent call to government agencies. As it turns out, many of those 24.7 million delinquent motor vehicles are registered to various government agencies.
Just because they handle official vehicles doesn’t grant them immunity from land transportation rules. The government’s own disregard for registration obligations sets a reprehensible example, fostering a culture of impunity. It’s an affront to accountability when those responsible for crafting and enforcing laws become the very violators, paying no heed to their own fleet’s compliance.
I think the President will be the first to say that people in government must lead by example: in obeying traffic rules, complying with motor vehicle registration or even in paying taxes. Or is that just wishful thinking?
Best job performance
Speaking about setting the right example. Firing Line cites the recent Job Performance Rating released by the RP-Mission and Development Foundation Inc. (RPMD), which named our Quezon City mayor, Joy Belmonte, and Congressman Toby Tiangco of Navotas City as having topped its independent and non-commissioned “Boses ng Bayan” poll in the National Capital Region for the third quarter of the year.
In the same survey — which RPMD executive director and global affairs analyst Dr. Paul Martinez explained acts as a gauge of exemplary service of the mayors and representatives to Congress in Metro Manila — I found Paranaque City 2nd District Rep. Gus Tambunting being rated No. 2 in the list with a 93.1% grade.
I would say that Cong. Tambunting deserves to be high up on that list, knowing that this untiring public servant embodies district representation, legislative performance, and constituent service. More power to you, Cong. Tambunting!
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