Road inspiration Legless man directs traffic in Cebu City

CEBU CITY – Like any traffic enforcer, this 60-year-old man wears a reflectorized vest, and with a whistle and a glove, conducts the traffic along F. Cabahug, one of the busiest streets in Cebu City.

But what makes Magdaleno Borces different from the other enforcers is that he has no legs. He was born with a birth defect known as “Amelia” which is the absence of one or more limbs.

Nevertheless, he does not let this disability deter him from serving the community.

Before the sun rises, Borces, the enforcer, all alone, leaves his house which is approximately 200 meters away from his post. He travels to his destination on a very used, now damaged, bike which was given to him by his American friend five years ago.

At the intersection, he mounts a specially-made traffic enforcer’s outpost where he directs traffic from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., from Monday to Saturday.

When he goes home at 7 p.m., he does not take a rest, but prepares dinner for him and his niece. After that, he can rest from the long day of exerting more than the usual effort to man a traffic intersection.

There are no holidays – or weatherrelated absences – for him, only a dayoff on Sunday. Borces braves the everchanging weather conditions and the smoke-filled highway from Monday to Saturday with only 1133 as honorarium per day, for five years now.

He shares that with his niece and deposits what is left in the bank as his savings.

“Even though I have this disability, it has never been and will never be in my vocabulary to just rest at home or just be a bystander. I will really find ways to earn a living,” he said.

“I am enjoying my job as I can be of service to the community even with my pay that is not as high as the other employees receive,” he said.

His only worry now is the condition of his specially-made bike. He said he is really having a hard time operating it especially on road curbs made for people without disability. Borces has to exert much effort to be able to get from the street level to the raised sidewalk.

With his legs withered below the knees, his only dream is to have an electric wheel bike. This, to him, would be real manna from heaven, he said.

He said that as long as he is healthy, he promises to continue managing traffic at any intersection assigned to him. That would make him provide for his needs, rather than depend on his siblings.

“I urge everyone, especially those who have no disabilities, to work hard and not wait for other people to provide for them. Even I do not have legs, I see to it that I will not be a burden to my family and friends,” he said.