I do not want to generalize all MMDA officers. But boy, did I snap earlier when I got apprehended.
Coming from Megamall A, you can turn right to EDSA, am I correct? When you make the right turn, you’re actually in the YELLOW BUS LANE.
MMDA stipulates that you have to get out of those 2-lanes (inside the yellow lane) within 12 meters, which would actually mean SWERVING ABRUPTLY. 12 meters, by the way, is only as long as a normal house’s frontage (Around 3 cars can be parked side by side). Moving slowly but safely out of the yellow lane, a PUBLIC BUS WHICH WAS OUTSIDE THE YELLOW LANE BLOCKED MY WAY’ HENCE I STAYED IN THE YELLOW LANE THAN GET HIT BY THE BUS. I got apprehended by an MMDA officer. There were 4 of them who saw everything.
You might ask, did I argue with them? No, I did not. I immediately told him just to give me a ticket so that I can leave right away (I was itching to go home — it was only 8 am at that time). The MMDA officer asked me 5 times if I really wanted to get a ticket because it would cost me 500 pesos. It’s my panata in life not to make lagay any amount to these scumbags, whatever the situation is. So after 10 minutes of waiting (because the MMDA officer was writing the offense slowly just to make sure that I didn’t want to give him money instead.
Upon reaching home, I immediately researched in the internet how much the violation actually costs. If you read an article in the Inquirer yesterday “MMDA intensifies drive vs. yellow lane violators”, you’d find out that the violation only costs 150 pesos. Furthermore, the MMDA brags that they have already apprehended around 2,000 cars in EDSA, for “faster movement”. The only thing that is fast-moving is the money from motorists’ pockets to the pockets of the MMDA. But heck, I will not give in to corruption.
The story doesn’t end there. I called 4 MMDA offices who kept on passing numbers around because they couldn’t answer my queries. However, I found out that if you want to complain about an apprehension, you’d have to go back to their Guadalupe office at least 3 times before you can actually get a hearing. Gas pa lang, talo na ko. Plus the hassle! Furthermore, the Chairman’s office of the MMDA said that the fine is 300 pesos, despite the news yesterday that stipulated it was only 150 pesos.
Inquirer = 150 pesos
Office of the Chairman, MMDA = 300 pesos
MMDA Officer in EDSA = 500 pesos
What’s with the big discrepancy? In addition, if I want to have my ticket to display the proper amount, I also have to go back to MMDA Guadalupe at least 3 times for a hearing.
I wanted to do something about it because hey, I’m a bum right now but I can actually do the country good by doing one little thing that could spark change in our country. Excuse me for all the sentiments but at one point, too much is too much. I may look like a kid but you can’t fool me!
Dear Bayani Fernando, I grew up in your hometown and I especially loved how you transformed it into one of Metro Manila’s leading cities. You had my vote before if ever you ran for president, but I’m casting my doubts now. If you can’t address the corruption in the MMDA, you surely can’t handle corruption and governance on a wider scale.
Should I pay the 500 or should I still fight this social illness? If i pay for the 500, where does the extra 350 go? Thoughts?
