One of the things that struck me during the run up to this week's two-day transport strike was a comment byone of the organizers who said something about wanting the strike to inflict maximum damage on the public. I know that they are trying to get the attention of the government, and a nationwide transport strike is the best way to get attention, but is making things difficult for the commuting public an absolute necessity so that they can get their point across during this protest?

Everybody who buys gasoline or diesel at the current prices would surely love to see prices go down back to the way there were just a few years back, but given the prevailing trend of the price of crude oil in the global market, any idiot can see that cheap fuel is going to be a thing of the past. Sure, the drama of a nationwide strike may bring us some relief from price increases that will surely be appreciated by everybody in this country who uses gasoline or diesel, whether or not the joined or supported the strike, but the long term prognosis on the prices of fuel does not look good.

By going on strike, the transport sector is wielding its ability to hold the country hostage by denying its citizens a very basic service. Of course, a day or two where commuters cannot get rides puts emphasis on the value of the service they provide, but if you really think about it, the transport sector has been holding the entire country hostage every day, as far as we can remember.

This country has one of the worst, most inefficient, most unsafe, most polluting mass transport system in the universe. We continue to use it because we have no choice. We have no choice because the transport groups hold such a considerable clout over our politicians that any move to force modernization, or instill professionalism among their ranks, or attempt to make their vehicles safer and greener, or any new mass transport infrastructure or system meant to replace them is doomed to fail.

So we are stuck with jeepneys and buses running on inefficient surplus engines that have long been discarded by first world countries because they consume too much fuel and produce too much dangerous emissions; the same vehicles that do not have any safety features of any kind for the passengers as well as the driver; a mode of transport that is left in the middle of the road when it breaks down, a regular occurrence on our roads; driven by “professional” drivers who stop anywhere they please, are blessed with the innate ability to break all the traffic rules of the land with impunity, along with being exempt from liability when in their unpredictable swerving and braking, they hit other cars because of the vague yet common excuse that the rest of us (i.e. “the rich”) should have mercy and tolerate their shortcomings because they are conveniently “the poor” and are just earning a living.

That's why even if I want to see pump prices go down, or at least not go up too much for the meantime; I find it so hard to sympathize with the transport groups who are striking. When they go on strike, all I see are a bunch of whiners and takers who want more and more for themselves but have not given anything back to the country or their countrymen except to force us to partake of a critical public service that is undoubtedly among the worst in the world in terms of quality, safety, and delivery.

Maybe the commuters and motorists of this country can unite and stage their own strike by refusing to ride, so that the current system that survives despite its gross inefficiency and backwardness, because of the collective consent of the drivers, the local and national government, and the commuters, can finally be improved bit by bit until this country can finally get itself a better transportation system that we can actually take pride in. Not because of the iconic, gaudy, yet horribly obsolete jeepney (which can still be used for secondary routes but definitely should be eased away from major roads and highways), but because it is efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly.