Yesterday, July 27, 2009, two major events took place that truly, negatively affected common people travelling on the road, whether by public transport or private vehicles. I believe the newsies did a splendid job covering the SONA and the rallying groups on the streets as well as the the footage of the big crowds that congregated for the 95th anniversary of the INC. Sadly, the same newsies failed to comprehend the deeper impact of these events to the common people on the streets on their way to different places, getting along with their lives. Wala po masama magpahayag ng mga paniniwala at saloobin sa isang pagtitipon. Nanggaling na rin po ako sa ganyang estado bilang isang dating estudyante sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas. What I fail to understand is how one can lose their sensitivities to the plight of others when engaged in such activities.

Bakit po kailangang dalhin pa ng mga namumuno ng mga kasamahan nating nakikibaka sa kabilang kalsada at magpilit sakupin ang natitirang kapiranggot na daan sapat na lng para sa mga nagbabyaheng karaniwang tao na gusto makarating sa kanilang mga paroroonan ng nasa tamang oras, na di magugutom o mapapagod sa daan. Nasaan na po napunta ang mga sensibilidad natin. Newsies, where were you to report these things? Where were you to comment on these things? I watched all of these stories start from 1pm (July 27, 2009) til 12:10am (July 28, 2009) on board a provincial bus going to Batangas City along the stretch of SLEX going to Makiling, Calamba, Laguna. UULITIN KO, LAHAT NG ITO NAPANOOD KO SA TV SA LOOB NG BUS SA LOOB NG LABING TATLONG ORAS NA NASA BYAHE!!! What should have been just a two and a half to three hour trip from Manila to Batangas City took a frigging 13 hours!!!!

A lot of people in provincial buses, public transport, and private vehicles endured the rains, the cold and wet weather, and the long hours of discomfort and hunger, stuck in a very long, turtle paced, unsupervised traffic from the SLEX section in Laguna approaching Makiling, Calamba, Laguna so that some people can celebrate their religion's anniversary. THIS WAS SUPPOSE TO BE A RELIGIOUS CELEBRATION!!!! WHAT IN THE NAME OF OUR HOLY FATHER, HAVE THESE CHURCH LEADERS AND THE POLICE FORCE IN THE MAKILING, CALAMBA AREA, DONE IN ORDER TO SOLVE AND ALLEVIATE THE MAJOR TRAFFIC SITUATION THAT THE CELEBRATION HAS BROUGHT ABOUT?!?!?! WALA MAN LANG KAMI NAKITA MGA TRAFFIC POLICE PARA MAG AYOS!!! ASAN NA KAYO MGA MAMAMAHAYAG PARA MAGCOVER NITO?!?!?!

I had asked a friend thru text to pass along the information to the newsies in Manila so that maybe they can follow up with the right people in the resepective government offices to help us in our situation. NOTHING HAPPENED. NOTHING WAS REPORTED. DO WE NOT MATTER IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS?! TO THE CHURCH LEADERS AND POLICE PEOPLE, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES NOT DOING ANYHTING IMMEDIATELY. WE HAD SOME CHILDREN ON BOARD, TIRED, HUNGRY, AND CRYING BECAUSE OF THE LONG TRIP! RESPONSIBILIDAD NINYO ANG AYUSIN ANG MGA LUPON NINYO AT PAG SASAAYOS SA GULO NG TRAPIKO DINULOT NYO!!! EI NEWSIES, WE MAY NOT BE NEWS MATERIAL BUT YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK INTO YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL WHEN YOU CHOOSE THE NEWS YOU WANT TO PURSUE! CLERGIES, POLICE, NEWSIES, HOW CAN YOU HAVE GONE SO LOW?!?!?!