Shutting down important intersections, rendering the traffic lights useless and opening up so-called U-Turn Slots. Did this lunatic expert ever test-drive each and every U-turn Slot at peak or rush hours? Methinks he just let a group of morons and affiliated contractors decide the number and locations of the U-turn Slots and start digging merrily every day of the year.

The common objectionable observations on the present traffic conditions are:

1. The U-turn Slots occupies almost two lanes on each side of a boulevard, thereby narrowing that section of the road for through traffic, creating a bottle-neck in an otherwise smooth flowing thoroughfare. The effective width of the boulevard is reduced by almost four lanes ( two lanes per side).

2. Unlike when crossing an intersection or making a left-turn, U-turns can only be executed at the lowest speed. Therefore, at busy thoroughfares and rush hours, it is usual to see long queues jamming the U-Turn Slots and traffic spilling over to the adjacent lanes.

3. It is absolutely impossible for two vehicles to simultaneously make the U-turn when one of them is a bus or a long vehicle.

4. When an accident occurs at a U-Turn Slot, the traffic jam that it creates is beyond imagination.

5. With the absence of traffic lights at intersections, the pedestrians find it impossible to cross the streets with the non-stopping traffic flow.

6. The pedestrians are also confused by the absence of traffic lights or malfunctioning traffic lights. The end result is every pedestrian crosses at his own risk, nobody cares whether that crazy traffic light is PINK or BLUE.

7. It is also common to see jeepneys stopping at the exit of a U-turn Slot waiting to cut across to the right opposite curb for passenger pick-ups. This not only obstructs the U-turn traffic flow but poses a danger to the oncoming vehicles.

8. Those dirty concrete pylons that divide the U-turn Slots or shut off the intersections do not have early warning signs; they are deadly hazards to motorists during night driving.

9. Assuming that the waiting time at an intersection and an U-turn Slot are equal, the time and fuel consumed in crossing the intersection is definitely less than making a series of right turns and a slow U-turn. We must remember that instead of making a simple left-turn, we must now make a right-turn followed by an u-turn. Instead of crossing an intersection, we have to make a right-turn, an u-turn and then another right-turn; and this ignoramus is telling us that more fuel is saved by U-turn Slots.

10. The uneven wearing out of the left and right tires, including the steering linkages in U-turns is extremely severe. All these will show up in your motor vehicle maintenance costs.

For many years, the MMDA head thought that he could easily discipline the unruly drivers of jeepneys, buses and FXs; but now, he realized his miserable failure and is resorting to methods used in cattle and animal control, i.e., the use of fences, railings, concrete dividers and all kinds of crazy obstacles painted in crazy colors. If only God permits, he may even resort to setting up electrified fences to electrocute the commuters that try to stray into the middle of the roads.

This not the right way to educate or discipline the public and the utility motor drivers. Only wise men know how to educate the masses; fools use brute force..

Our only consolation is that Manila will be known internationally as the city where vehicular traffic is controlled solely by U-turn Slots.

To begin with, the Filipino people has never been united since the 1986 People Power uprising.

Like the divided islands of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, Filipinos are divided as ever on major issues. The people could not even agree on a single agenda and the call for federalism only betray that we cannot truly govern ourselves. In essence, federalism is a sanitized word for dismembering the country into several political fiefdoms.

I am not a Muslim nor do I condone the attack the MILF made against the hapless civilians. However, the call to secede from the Republic was based on historical context which cannot really be ignored plus the fact that they have long been abused by the government.

Unbelievable it is, but a good example is how the government used the negotiating table and the MILF to advance its agenda to perpetuate itself in power. Let us also not forget the US, which, like a vulture waiting to devour the treasures of the south, is using the Muslim people to permanently establish its presence.

In the end, what is there to divide?

Please someone inform us.

ino….you are right, Ateneo should solve this problem.

If they don’t want to be under the rule of the Philippine laws then, the door is very much open for them to emigrate to another country and they are very much welcome to leave this country any time they want.

It is clearly understood that while all of them stay in the Philippine territory, they must obey the laws as an ordinary citizen of this country. Giving them autonomy that not mean they are not covered by the provisions of the Philippine laws. They should not consider themselves above the ordinary Filipinos to receive special treatment from the government.