A video making the rounds today shows horrifying footage of a jeepney plowing through a group of students as they crossed a street. A 14 year old was reportedly killed and several others injured when the jeepney seemingly swerved onto the opposite side of the street just as the students were more than half way through the pedestrian crossing.
According the police, the driver, a certain Crisalde Tamparo who claimed his brakes had failed, tested positive for drugs.
The incident highlights just how dangerous jeepneys are. They continue to operate with impunity in the Philippines thanks to the protection they enjoy from labour activists and from politicians who rely on them and their patrons for votes.
The fact is, jeepneys and the entire industry that supports their operations are social parasites that need to be eradicated. It’s high time Filipinos wake up to the reality that something drastic needs to be done about this enormous problem.
Webmaster of Get Real Philippines