The Fiasco at Baclaran: Commuter’s Misery with MMDA Dispatch

Roxas Boulevard near Baclaran

PARANAQUE CITY, PHILIPPINES — Today is Baclaran Day, or the day when the devotees of Our Lady of Perpetual Help converge at Baclaran Church in Parañaque City, one of Metro Manila’s busiest and most congested districts. As expected, early morning will be the start of the traffic jam that normally occurs every Wednesdays. But this Wednesday, August 4, was no longer ordinary for me. MMDA failed big time! It failed the commuters way big time!

At around 6:10 AM, our bus from Cavite, bound for EDSA, entered Baclaran’s bus stop for the usual dispatch. They have a new chairman, a former mayor of Tagaytay City. So like always whenever there’s a new king to lead his men, they implement the traffic rules strictly. So those who disobeyed are instantly reprimanded or apprehended. Just to play it safe, the driver of the bus entered the dispatch bus stop area at Baclaran, rather than risking to pay P1,000 fine…from that time on…it was ‘haynakupo!’ for most of the passengers. It’s Baclaran Day, obviously you’re entering the eye of the storm!

Okay, so we’ve waited…but hey hey! Why are the other city buses not passing by the dispatch area?! We started to feel disgruntled against the bus driver for letting us pass through the crowded service road of Roxas Boulevard for the usual dispatch. C’mon! Of all the days! Miyerkules pa, Araw ng Baclaran! Dito mo pa kami padadaanan! But the driver justified it. Well, go safe rather than risk it. So, we moved through the crowded road like a snail.

View MMDA Baclaran Dispatch in a larger map

It was 6:30AM, after moving slowly towards the front of Baclaran Church, we’re nearby the MMDA Dispatch. I thought it would be a relief, but the bus in front of us won’t budge a bit. Fifteen minutes have passed, the bus still hasn’t moved despite the large space in front of it. The conductor of the other bus pointed out towards the MMDA dispatch booth. He said, “Sir, hindi po namin kasalanan! Ang tagal magdispacha ng MMDA!” (Sir, its not our fault! The dispatchers at MMDA are slow!”) Indeed, I noticed the long line of conductors lining up outside the MMDA booth–irritated and irked with the seemingly long bureaucratic practice of dispatching buses bound for EDSA!

I’ve wanted to take a taxi, but to no avail. EDSA-bound buses were also apprehended and were stopped by these crocodiles. Taking Buendia-bound buses would be equivalent to suicide since the traffic congestion at Buendia is commonly high. Therefore, I have no choice but to wait.

It was 6:50AM. At this juncture, I’m no longer able to keep my calm amidst the chaos. I went down, I complained to the MMDA personnel at the booth, they say in somewhat a rude voice, “Huwag nyo kaming sisihin dahil alam naman ng mga konduktor na matagal mag-proseso ng dispatch!” (Don’t blame us because the conductors know that processing a dispatch is a lengthy process!) What the F?! All of a sudden, my irk against the pasaway bus drivers and conductors was gone. I was rallying against the uber-slow processing of their dispatch papers! The passengers were already irritated, they started shouting curses and “perwisyo kayo sa mga pasahero!”–but those at MMDA traffic pointed to the conductors and bus drivers. Obviously mga palusot!

For the first time, I was enraged and sided the bus drivers and conductors. They may be pasaway, but the bureaucratic process that MMDA’s using–cellphone/text/SMS for confirmation is ONE BIG PIECE OF SH** slapped on the commuter’s faces! If the MMDA indeed is into order and for the convenience of the greater majority of those who use Metro Manila’s roads, then why put the passengers into this inconvenience?

It was already 7:00AM. I have lost my patience. I’ve screamed in an MMDA traffic control’s dispatch face, “Langya kayo, sagabal kayo! May trabaho din kami pero wala kayong mga pakialam! Ang bagal nyo pang magdispatcha! Lintik, irereport ko to sa Orense!” Along with that, was the hurl of complaints fired at the booth. I left Baclaran following a conductor who’s running towards his bus. They left immediately without being cleared…we were clearly pissed off. A lot of passengers had disembarked out of losing patience and the threat from their professors and bosses.

Yesterday, it was also the same experience, however it was fast. Oh, the cameras of ABS-CBN were there too yesterday. No wonder they’re performing well…although still a major hassle for commuters! And today, the cameras are gone, the only difference was…here comes the usual “bureaucratic processing mode” that I think all Filipinos know about the government—kaya pati pagproseso ng dispatch, ganun na rin ba katagal?!

It is for the first time indeed, that I’ve complained not because of the bus drivers making terminals out of bus stops, but the body that imposes discipline and order in the roads of Metro Manila. The ones who were supposed to expedite convenience for the public, was the one hindering the progress of the public. It seems that the usual government bureaucratic red tape that has once hindered and stalled processes, has infiltrated the traffic control. Damn it, this is not processing for business permits for crying out loud! What’s next, do they need ID from the passengers and have it photocopied? This is the transportation sector on the go, it is supposed to be moving–but not like that of the usual bureaucracy!

I was late with the appointment, I was scolded. I apologized. But MMDA too should apologize for the inconvenience they have brought towards the passengers of southern Metro Manila and Cavite. I am still to complain to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. Five minutes is all right, but wasting 45 minutes of our travel time is too much! 45 minutes in Baclaran, but not because of the devotees–but crocodiles in the uniform! We don’t deserve such inconvenience! Sila pa may ganang mang-huli, sila pa ang magaling magpalusot sa sarili nilang kapalpakan! Before they even dare to apprehend motorists, they too should apprehend their men as well on working well with their jobs. Don’t point to bus drivers and commuters which is obviously MMDA’s fault in dispatch!

Baclaran Day pala, I wish I could have just stopped over the church and pray for the mercy of their souls.