Bus passengers ‘curse’ MMDA for issuing traffic ticket amid rush hour in QC

MANILA, Philippines — Tempers flared Wednesday after passengers of a bus that was flagged down in Quezon City for a traffic violation had a heated argument with traffic enforcers to the extent of allegedly cursing Edsa traffic head Bong Nebrija.

In a Facebook Live, Nebrija was seen calling out a traffic enforcer for seemingly not knowing which lines the different types of vehicles should occupy.

The traffic enforcer then informed him that they weren’t able to focus on the task after bus passengers started shouting at them.

Nebrija then approached the bus with irate passengers and told them not to blame the MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority).

“‘Huwag kami ang sisisihin ninyo. Inaayos namin ang traffic dito. Wag nyo kaming sisigawan (Don’t blame us, we are fixing the traffic here, Don’t shout at us),” he said.

The passengers’ responses were inaudible, but Nebrija replied: “Pumasok ka ng maaga wag kami ang sisigawan mo. Hindi namin kasalanan yan may bus kang sinasakyan, dapat sumunod (Go out early. It’s not our fault. Your bus should have followed the rules).”

“Ikaw ang nagpapasahod sa akin, magkano ang tax na binabayad mo? Sandali, magkano ang tax na binabayaran mo?” Nebrija continued. “Pambihira, inaayos namin ang Edsa, ayaw niyong sumunod. O sige ireklamo niyo kami,” Nebrija continued.

(Are you paying for my salary? How much do you pay in taxes? We are fixing Edsa [traffic], but you don’t want to follow the rules. Go ahead, file a complaint against us.)

Nebrija then lamented how passengers lash out at traffic enforcers who are only implementing traffic rules to improve the traffic situation.

“Ganyan po ang dinadanas namin. Etong mga enforcer namin sinisigawan, parang kami pa mali ngayon. Kami lang po nagpapatupad ng batas, kami pa sinisigawan. Mali yang bus driver nila, kami ang sinisisi, tapos minumura pa ang mga enforcer natin,” Nebrija tells those who were watching the Facebook live.

(That’s what we endure. Our enforcers get shouted at. It’s as if it’s our fault. We are just implementing the rules. The bus driver is wrong, but our traffic enforcers bear the brunt.)

“Gusto ng pagbabago, pag maaapektuhan ng pagbabago sila ang magrereklamo (They want change, but if you try to effect change, they’ll complain),” Nebrija added.

INQUIRER.net has reached out to Nebrija for comment but has yet to receive a response as of posting time. /ee

https://www.facebook.com/nebsninerone/videos/2222997131151208/