Apology not acceptable

I don’t want to sound “unchristian” or unkind, but sometimes, certain apologies are simply unacceptable.

Consider for instance the often used and abused advance apologies made or given by contractors or developers of public utilities: “Please bear with us as we work to bring you better service” or “Sorry construction on-going to give you a better tomorrow”. In the mean time please suffer in silence.

The common expectation is that progress is supposed to improve on an existing situation or at the very least maintain the original state of affairs while developing a promise or a goal. Any action which extensively causes a deterioration of the present state of affairs, no matter how brilliant or well meaning, is not about progress but about serious inconvenience if not injurious to the public good.

Putting up signs to apologize for the expected inconvenience may be a way of expressing corporate courtesy to the public, but too often, these signs have been nothing more than posted cop outs of companies who don’t care or can’t be bothered to do their projects properly or spend more time and money to insure the safety and continued convenience of their customers.

Currently the most glaring example would be the people or the company who have been working on the rehabilitation and expansion of the South Luzon Expressway.

For more than six months I have personally encouraged people to be patient with the ongoing construction of the SLEX because just like the C-5 road, we will one day, benefit greatly in terms of comfort and reduced travel time. However, when the quality of on-site safety and management begins to endanger motorists, patience no longer becomes the issue.   

As work extends further and longer, motorists on the SLEX become more and more exposed to repeated delays because of choke points and safety hazards. I have been told by a couple of insiders that the Malaysian firm behind the SLEX development are such penny pinchers or so “kuripot” that very little money has been spent on proper signage, warning lights, and safety personnel in the field. Even their posted apologies are few and far in between.

Don’t take my word for it; try driving from Canlubang to Manila and you will experience quite a challenging drive especially after sunset. The barriers or lane separators are so filthy from dust and mud that you can barely see them. On one occasion I witnessed a driver slam on the brakes when he almost drove straight into an unmarked concrete barrier when the road split into three lanes. I don’t know if it were bags or passengers that I saw flying forward from the back of the van, but the van certainly had a number of flying objects.

 It also doesn’t help that in certain points certain bends or curves will insure that you are directly blinded by traffic from the opposite lane. No one bothered to place a few “blinds” or structures that would prevent the car lights from blinding on-coming traffic.

 Don’t even ask me about lights because the Malaysians might bill us for “Systems loss”. Since I drive through at least once or twice a week, I can only tell you that you better have flares or something brighter if your car conks out because many parts of the SLEX is so dark and dangerous your Early Warning Device might fold up in fright! 

I have once or twice talked to people connected with the project and have suggested that the very least they could do is make sure we have a two-lane road that simply gets us from one point to the other. As it stands, you don’t know when two lanes become three, you suddenly find yourself in a sharp curve, you have to figure out which of three lanes is actually open for use etc, etc.

The emergency response units of the SLEX are certainly on the job but they are so poorly equipped that we did not even realize they were official SLEX vehicles much less emergency vehicles. How can you assist or give way to someone you can’t even recognize?

This being my second critical article on the SLEX management, I just want to state on record that I don’t have a grudge match with them. I don’t know any of them Malaysian or otherwise. I sincerely wish the best for them and pray for the early completion of the project. But like all of their customers, I believe we are entitled to a safer and efficiently run toll road considering the inherent delays caused by their development has a direct impact on our quality of life, our motoring pleasure, and more particularly our over all safety.

Not only has travel time through the SLEX become longer, it has also become unpredictable. But all this pales to the increased risks and dangers because of poor management. If the SLEX management cannot improve on its present level of performance and concern, perhaps those in government and our elected representatives, particularly from Southern Luzon should look into the matter and find out how such a major facility used by thousands of commuters can be so badly managed. 

While they’re at it, they should ask about the Bicutan part under the Skyway, motorists keep wondering why the PNCC never blocked the emergency lane to prevent idiots from making a third lane and clogging up the road and causing kilometer long traffic.

They should also check the work on the Alabang viaduct, many motorists have commented that there are very few people working on the project and most of the work is with manual labor. This particular project might not be under the Malaysian group of the SLEX but for a major intersection, the work is unbearably slow for business and commerce.

The courtesy of a proper apology is more appreciated after an effort is made to correct the offense or the inconvenience. Don’t send your paid PR either. Show you’re sorry before you say you’re sorry.