OpinionsThe Way It IsLicense plates, government?

License plates, government?

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DUMAGUETE — An eight-year-old boy is dead, and his father is in critical condition after they were sideswiped by a dump truck Tuesday evening. The accident happened in Talay at approximately 6:15 p.m.

According to some eyewitnesses, the truck was eastbound on Valencia Road at what they described was a high rate of speed. The father and his young son were walking in the same direction as the truck when they were hit. Witnesses added that the truck never stopped and, in fact, appeared to have accelerated after hitting the two.

Police were called to the scene, but the victims had already been taken to the hospital for emergency treatment. One of the witnesses happened to have the phone number to the Valencia rescue unit and called them, who responded laudably.

When questioned by the police, witnesses said the white dump truck belongs to the city of Dumaguete, bearing the city seal on its door. They said the truck did not have a license plate.

The boy died this morning from internal hemorrhage due to multiple fractures. The father, who is still unconscious, remains in critical condition. Their identities are withheld, pending notification of next of kin. The police could only say that the two were not residents of Dumaguete.

An investigation has been initiated but so far, according to the Police Chief, the City Engineer’s Office could not identify the driver involved, and could not even state which dump truck was still out at that time Tuesday. His office said their logs do not indicate any truck out at that time.

The police are stumped and have gone back to the scene of the accident to see if there are other witnesses who may have seen the driver. The Police Chief said a description of the driver would greatly help their investigation.

There has been public outcry, especially among the residents of Talay because they say it could have easily been any of them who were hit by the truck. They are also questioning why a City-owned dump truck does not have a license plate. They asked the City if their vehicles are registered, and were informed that all government-owned vehicles are registered.

This reporter has called the City Engineer’s Office and was told that, indeed, some of their vehicles do not have license plates because they simply have not been issued yet.

The question arises whether the City Engineer himself should have been pro-active in this matter, and order that temporary plates be installed on all their vehicles, if only to help identify them. If he had, it probably would have prompted the driver to stop at the scene.

As it is, any speculation is welcome. One speculation is that the driver was aware that his truck could not be identified because of the lack of a license plate. At the very instant of the accident, he may have been racked by fear of being investigated, suspended, or worse, terminated. He may have made the decision to flee the scene and take his chances. It now seems, his gamble paid off.

The mayor has formed a special committee to look into the matter, and submit recommendations to his office by the end of the month. He has also pledged financial assistance to the victims, calling the accident one of the more tragic ones in recent memory. He said it deserves to be investigated fully, and have the responsible individuals brought to justice.

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The above is, of course, a work of fiction. I wrote it because there seems to be no better way to drive home this point.

There is some fact in this, though: Some City-owned vehicles do not have license plates.

Almost two weeks ago, I was driving from Valencia on Romero Road, right before the intersection where Robinsons is. That portion of the road has two lanes. The left lane is for vehicles that are going to make a left turn to go in the direction of the public market; the right lane, if they were going straight in the direction of Quezon Park, or going to make a right to head south toward Mangnao and Banilad.

It was approximately 3:30 p.m. when I was driving on the right lane because I intended to go straight at the intersection. On the left lane was this white dump truck that had a Dumaguete City seal on the door. I didn’t pay any attention to it as it was just a truck, City-owned or otherwise. When we got to the intersection, this dump truck didn’t make a left turn. Instead, it went straight, cutting in front of me at the intersection! I was angry at that driver, who blatantly put me in danger of being hit by his truck.

I’m sure he thought I was like all other Dumaguete drivers who would readily give way, even to unsafe, reckless drivers, without letting them know of their mistake.

But I was determined to tell the driver that he was being unsafe, and more so because he was a government driver.

I followed him all the way to the boulevard where he made a right turn to go to the reclamation project. Parking was not allowed on the side of the road I was on and I didn’t want to violate the no-parking zone like everyone else, so I decide to go ahead and pick up my wife first, who I left earlier at the beauty salon, and then come back to talk to the driver. I’d be on the other side of the road by then, where parking was allowed.

I tried to drive as fast as I could, but I was too late. The truck was no longer there. I got to thinking that if that truck had no license plate, are government-owned vehicles supposed to be registered?

I decide to go to the Traffic Management Office to ask them that question. I was sure they’d know. When I got there, the TMO head was there so I asked him. He told me they are supposed to be registered but to make sure, he called the City Engineer’s Office, and even let me speak to someone who said he was the City Engineer.

I asked him the question: Are government-owned vehicles supposed to be registered? He replied that yes, they are registered but that some of them have not been issued license plates yet.

I tried to suggest to him that it is well within his means and authority to have temporary license plates made, so that at least there would be a way to identify the vehicles. He seemed to understand the point I wanted to make, but how sincerely, I could not tell.

He asked for my telephone number so he can call me back, he said, and I told him I didn’t have my phone at that moment, and that I have not memorized my phone number yet because it was new. I did tell him that I’d give it to the TMO head later to give to him.

As I was leaving the TMO, I stopped at their restroom. Inside, I met someone, and I asked him if he was a City employee. He said he was the Assistant City Administrator. I felt privileged talking to him, knowing his position and all. I asked if it would be okay with him if I paid him a visit just to chat about things Dumaguete. He said I would be welcome to come by, and that his office was on the second floor of City Hall.

I walked with him a bit on my way back to my car when a City mini dump truck entered Quezon Park. As the truck got past us, I saw that it had no license plate, just like the other one earlier.

I quickly told him the reason I was at the TMO. I then pointed out to him that the truck in front of us had no license plate. He seemed surprised by that as well, and said that because he’s seen it with his own eyes, he’d bring up the subject. That was good enough for me at the time. I didn’t ask where, when and with whom he will bring it up. In his position, I trust that it evoked a certain serious realization on his part, enough to take it to responsible official/s.

If civilians are required to display license plates on their vehicles, even temporary ones, there must be a reason for it. That reason should, without argument, be the same one why government vehicles should have them as well.

In the fictional news report above, I think that what happened is one of the most important reasons why a license plate is required. Not having been issued one is hardly a reason why you should not display one when driving on public roads.

If anything, it says that you are privileged, and in this case, because you are the government? That is simply abuse of position! No one is exempt from this basic requirement. If civilians are liable for failure to comply, so should the government.

Remember the part of the story about my telephone number? Well, it has been given to the person who said he is the City Engineer. So far, he hasn’t called me yet, even if it’s just for professional courtesy, or even to show that he is at least true to his word (even just a little bit).

I can only hope that the way it is now will not give life to the fictional story above.

_____________________________

Author’s email:
[email protected]

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