EDITORIAL - Road safety a must for Holy Week

Safety hazards were discovered during a surprise inspection by Senator Raffy Tulfo, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services, of the situation at the Cebu North Bus Terminal.

As per his own social media account, he mentioned violations such as expired or missing fire extinguishers, poor-quality seats, worn tires, faulty clutch systems tied together with a rubber band, and the absence of mandatory safety equipment like glass breakers and working CCTV monitors.

"Ito yung parang ataol na tumatakbo sa kalye. Takaw-disgrasya po ito,” the senator said about one of the buses he inspected.

He also said the terminal itself lacked air-conditioning and that many of the bag trolleys were unusable.

Some might say the inspection was carried out only now to help the candidacy of the senator, even the Cebu Provincial Capitol, which manages the terminal, said it didn’t like his approach of the matter, and that many of the issues involving buses he brought up were concerns of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, and not theirs.

However, it can also be argued the inspection was timely because it is ahead of one of the busiest times of the year when it comes to transportation, Holy Week.

These are the times when lines for bus trips can take hours, when buses operate for longer than usual, and when passengers of all kinds take trips to places far and near.

Long trips over all types of roads, heavy traffic congestion, crowded buses, and other factors will take their toll on vehicles as well as the passengers themselves. It’s during these times when anything can happen.

Of course, Tulfo’s description of coffins on the road is hyperbole, meant to add drama. But then again let’s not wait for him to be proven right if something bad does happen and people get injured, or worse.

Keeping the roads safe means keeping public transportation safe. This Holy Week we want to feel the presence of the Lord, not necessarily meet him in person just yet.