Disaster relief

190 million banging bucks as penalty? What is the LTFRB trying to do? Run Uber to the ground? Eliminate it for the competition? Eradicate it entirely from the Philippines?

Now, don't tell me that by doing this the LTFRB is merely trying to protect my interests as a member of the riding public, because I do not feel protected. Absolutely not. In fact, I feel very, very exposed: open to the very grim possibility of reverting to reluctant reliance on rickety, smelly cabs to hopefully successfully ferry me to my destination (that is, assuming I even manage to hail one).

That's the very real scenario if Uber ups and drives away from this dysfunctional country, one that cannot seem to get its act together. (And I will sort of explain why, so before any reaction, bear with this explanation).

Consider this; how many years has the LTFRB been lording it over the transport scene? And in the course of those eons, how "improved" have the services of public transportation companies become?

There aren't enough cabs, what we have are old and rotting, the drivers are rude, they don't know their way around the city, and these hyenas give a black eye to the country with what they do to us and the innocent tourists who entrust their vacation to them.

If they're not thieving by not giving change back, the cab drivers are managing to do so by lengthening their routes so their meters can click longer. Let's not forget, there are also those incidents of taxicabs robbing their passengers and dumping their bodies along deserted highways. Not an exaggeration!

Is the current state of affairs deserving to be called a "success"? Do we feel served? Is transport "adequate"? Of course not. It's a disaster, and if any private corporate organization were to be judged on this track record, any rational CEO would quickly change the management team, or even close shop altogether. Which is really what should happen, given its demonstrably execrable performance: the LTFRB should just be abolished and wiped out in its entirety.

By no means can the LTFRB's past support it now with this verdict against Uber. Punitively penalizing, to the point of extinction, the safer, more consumer-friendly alternative is not protecting the public's interest. It is instead the complete opposite: a wanton disregard of the public, a callous action that doesn't think of the potential long-term consequences, and in fact, wrecks the public's long-term interests.

All that the LTFRB is doing is acting like a petty tyrant, of which we have too many at the moment. It is demonstrating the caprice and irrationality of government, and symbolizing very effectively the low quality of bureaucrats that we have. Not only would I call them bumbling, I might even be tempted to characterize them as (in the buzzwords of today's heated political arena) "imbeciles". (Now my mother is going to get on my case again for being so rude).

I just paid my credit card bill. As I scanned the entries in the statement, the merchant name of Uber popped up multiple times almost every single day. It's only been two weeks since the suspension, but boy, am I nostalgic for its comforting presence in my life. With this Draconian penalty, I fear I may never see this merchant in my statement again.

Some days, it would be really nice to possess the power to fire someone.

‘How many years has the LTFRB been lording it over the transport scene? And in the course of those eons, how "improved" have the services of public transportation

companies become?’