Modern technology to fight crime

News reports on armed holdups happening in public utility vehicles (PUVs) come in alarming regularity with violent incidents that cause death of police and civilian commuters alike getting to be commonplace in the Metro.  

One of the latest incidents involved a PMA cadet whose imbued responsibility to protect hapless civilians caused him to be critically wounded when he tried to disarm a gun-wielding hold-upper to prevent passengers of the jeepney he was riding on from being hurt while being robbed.  

I remember there was also such a similar but bolder rush of holdups in PUVs during the days of Martial Law. A lot bolder indeed it was, considering that there was military rule then and reports of military abuses committed on detainees were in loud whispers.       

The government’s reaction then was to meet the challenge head on. I remember then President Marcos coming up with a Presidential Decree that had at least a pair of secret marshals composed mostly of military intelligence personnel covertly “riding shotgun” in buses and jeepneys. The announcement alone made the number of incidents drop dramatically while the bolder felons who wantonly went ahead with their nefarious misadventures with violent touches got peppered with 357s, the popular choice of the military intelligence then.     

But today’s modern technology is a far cry from that of the 70s and the 80s that crime fighting and prevention doesn’t have to be a logistic nightmare of fielding numerous personnel on public utility vehicles on a “hit and miss” basis. And to think that the number of PUVs then cannot compare to what we have presently. The number has increased multi-fold from that time.  

A techie I had the chance to have a short chat with last weekend mentioned of GPS trackers that can be installed on PUVs, which can pinpoint their exact location at all times. All the bus driver, conductor or “a single-riding secret marshal” has to do is press on a “panic button” that indicates of an emergency that could mean an accident or a crime is going on inside the vehicle. With the location of the vehicle easily determined by the GPS guided tracker together with the direction it’s taking, a back-up team can easily be dispatched to abort the crime or handily catch the perpetrators. This highly reduces the prayerful “hit and miss” approach.     

The mere knowledge of such a system in place can be a deterrent to the faint-hearted hold-uppers planning random hits while for the hardened bold ones—well, the current favorites of the police and other law enforcers now range from 9mm, cal 40 and the ever-dependable 45s—the criminals’ choice.

The government should not allow the criminals to have an upper hand in their wanton violent violation of the citizenry, especially motorists, by getting away with it. Modern technology can help in fighting crime and its prevention—let’s modernize our efforts in protecting our commuters and other motorists.

The bus drivers and conductors deserve their dignity of labor

I hope there’s no truth or basis for the loose talk going around that the government agencies tasked to implement fixed wages for bus drivers and conductors are the ones that cause the delay of its implementation.

I would understand, although not agree nor accept or condone the strong opposition of bus operators for the implementation of regular salaries for their drivers and conductors—but the mandated government agencies? Is the procrastination of these government agencies due to the strong and expensive lobby? 

As the story goes, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) had set a deadline of July 31, 2012 for bus companies to comply with the drivers’ and conductors’ fixed monthly wage order by submitting the Labor Standard Compliance Certificate (LSCC) from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) as proof of compliance. However, the bus companies’ counsels have represented that the DOLE has moved the said deadline of submission of LSCCs to March 15, 2013.  

Non-submission of the LSCCs could be interpreted as non-compliance of the government’s order to give fixed monthly wages to bus drivers and conductors. The change in the manner of their compensation from the “boundary” system was a measure thought of by the government to change the mind-set of drivers and conductors to get as many passengers as possible at whatever cost, even sacrificing safety of their passengers and other motorists and pedestrians, just to be able to meet their “boundaries” or the minimum daily take of the bus operator, only after which can they start to earn their day’s take home.

I don’t know if this is a result of government agencies bowing to lobby “pressure”, a misrepresentation of the bus companies’ counsels or just plain government agency inefficiency. Whatever, something needs to be done and done immediately not only to give the bus drivers and conductors their much-deserved dignity of labor and of the same importance reduce anarchy on the road caused by bus drivers whose paramount objective is to be able to reach their “boundaries” and earn their keep.  

Drive the cars of your dreams

You are darn right! You can drive not just one but several of your dream automobiles during the Auto Focus Motor Show and Auto Expo scheduled to start on November 8 up to November 11 at the open air Concert Grounds of the SM Mall of Asia.

Dubbed as “the biggest outdoor motor show in the country” the 4-day automobile extravaganza shall have 12 of the country’s biggest brands all together in one venue—a most convenient way to see up close and test drive brand-new models of Toyota, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Kia, Ford, Nissan, Chevy, Isuzu and premium luxury models from BMW and Lexus plus the first public display of Peugeot automobiles—a real test drive galore.

The year’s final automobile “grand display and test drive”, which is historically the local auto industry’s “Christmas car shopping spree” has a lot of activities lined up for the whole family to enjoy, from marching bands to free concerts, showing of Motoring Today’s Race Weekend race-highlights features from Formula One to World Rally Championship and Moto GPs. Another crowd-drawer is the holding of the Auto Focus GT Challenge, which offers bags full of cash prizes for highly-competitive grand turismo enthusiasts.    

Most exhibitors have planned special promos and discounts for customers from the motor show. They will also hold daily raffles every 15 minutes for all those that come to visit their booths and test-drive their vehicles.

Drive the cars of your dreams. Come to the motor show this November.

Finally on the road?

With the initial Young Street Smarts (YSS) road safety seminar and workshop for school-year 2012-2013 aborted due to recent heavy rains and inundation of the metropolis, the first of a minimum of 10 schools this year would hopefully be held on September 11 at Claret High School in Quezon City. 

The YSS Road Safety School Tour is a series of free road safety seminars and workshops conducted among high school students with the aim of making them present and future safe and responsible road users. 

Topics discussed during the teach-ins include the meaning of traffic signs and road markings (which some of you may be surprised to know that many of which you don’t know about), the rules of right of way (who has the right of way at different given situations), pedestrian and commuter safety, road courtesy, safe bike riding and dangers of drunk driving.

To ensure sustained attention, contests with valuable prizes are held as a review of what have been taken up and as a gauge of what have been retained by the students.

Initiated and organized by Social Communications Foundation for Asia (Socio Com Foundation) together with Sunshine Television (STV), the road safety education advocacy has the Manila North Tollways Corporation and Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation as major supporters as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) with the cooperation of major automobile manufacturers and importers similarly part of their CSR, which includes Toyota Motor Philippines, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines, The Car Covenant Company (Chevy), Asian Carmakers (BMW), Columbian Autocar (Kia), Cats Motors (Mercedes-Benz), PGA Cars (Audi), Lexus-Manila to include Chevron.

Everybody is a stakeholder in this universal concern to keep people, especially children safe while on the road. Let’s prevent deaths, the loss of limb and damages to property by educating our road users early in their life.

If you want to be involved in this laudable advocacy, let your interest be known and email [email protected]. We’ll tell you how you can participate.

Happy Motoring!!!

For comments: (email motorin[email protected].