Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo downplayed the traffic situation in Metro Manila as a crisis that the government needs to resolve.
Panelo also insisted that people can still get rides going to their destination so it could not be called a crisis.
Panelo said during a press briefing, “Ano bang ibig nilang sabihin na transportation crisis? Ang nakikita ko lang traffic.. May transportation naman, nakakasakay naman tayo lahat. Kasi nga nakakarating pa naman ‘yung mga dapat makarating sa kanilang pupuntahan.”
Moreover, Panelo said that people should just leave home early to avoid arriving late to their desired destinations.
“May solusyon naman doon. If you want to arrive early in your destination, then you go there earlier.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWHRugU4ABg
These statements of Panelo has forced 32-year-old comedienne Ethel Booba to decide to transfer the ‘Booba’ title to the presidential spokesperson.
Besh @imrufamaequinto pasa na natin yung name na BOOBA. Talo na tayo. Charot! https://t.co/owXzq8pxpV
— Charot! (@IamCharotism) October 8, 2019
Meanwhile, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) criticized Panelo for his statement and stated it is obviously a sign of ignorance of the sufferings of fellow Filipinos.
“It only shows that Panelo obviously has no knowledge of the lives of the commuter and mass transport crisis. He knows nothing about the daily sufferings of people bearing miserable public transport conditions.”
BAYAN strongly opposed Panelo’s advice to leave even earlier in order to arrive at a destination on time.
“You can arrive at your destination but you are nearly shredded into pieces. A lot of people are leaving houses so early just to get on time at their offices or schools. Malacanang has no solution, so what it just does is to deny the existence of the problem.”
These are some of the netizens’ reaction to Panelo:
https://twitter.com/maryey8123/status/1181811061093089282
https://twitter.com/baby_cow22/status/1181820948564992000
https://twitter.com/braelurie/status/1181841072042823680
https://twitter.com/manuelswift23/status/1181541895543017478
