MANILA, Philippines - MUTATIS MUTANDIS. With the marked increase last year of rouge drivers, we lost a beauty queen, an upright judge, and several travelers whose only fault was to be in the path of wayward buses. 2011 began inauspiciously... with more of the same. Motorists and pedestrians are intimidated by these reconstituted mammoths, hand-me-downs from South Korea, charging Metro Manila thoroughfares like Ben-Hur chariot races at the Hippdrome. When we were kids, JD and MD red buses were safe modes of public transport. They had inspectors and dispatchers at terminals. Dangerous wheels were the Saulogs, racing to meet their ''boundary'' and causing many to their Maker. LTFRB Chairman Alberto H. Suansing, who was briefly transferred to LTO in PGMA's midnight musical chairs, was returned by P-Noy to his original LTFRB. In August, 2009, in his previous incarnation, Suansing expressed forthrightly that if he had his way, LTFRB should suspend the fleet of a bus firm involved in deaths, and not just the case lots. CIMMINI SECTORES. How'cum he's suspending only the 17 case group buses out of 50 in the apocalyptic bus fleet? If Suansing can't make bus operators run daang matuwid, he can Swan Song. Why did MMDA think of recommending color coding for buses (which was turned down) if LTFRB and the authorities could simply verify and implement the legitimate accredited buses? Let's hope that the frightened riding public can sustain the media attention, and that this problem is not just wished away.
DFA maintains ban on Afghanistan. To keep OFWs out of harm's way. Ang taong nagigipit, sa patalim man'y kumakapit. Carlo Echano of the Filipinos in Afghanistan (FIA) says working in US bases in Afghanistan is safer than crossing EDSA on a busy day. And better paying, too! ''Where in the World is the Philippines? Debating its National Territory.'' Rodolfo Severino Jr., former ASEAN secretary general and DFA undersecretary, points to some answers in his book launch today. Co-published by the Carlos P. Romulo Foundation and Institute of Southeast Asia Studies in Singapore. ERRATUM: My source Manny Baldemor misled and I mistakenly titled Rosalinda ''Baby'' Orosa's book ''Miscellaneous.'' It's ''Turning Back The Pages,'' a miscellany walking down memory lane. Baby proved a surprising raconteur, with gumption to sing at Instituto Cervantes the Philippine revolutionary song ''Virola,'' which ends, ''...!''. She got an encore from fans, including Pepe Rodriguez, and obliged to sing it again. Feedback: jaz_aide@yahoo.com
