The act of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority in commending a traffic enforcer who moonlights by selling goodies to motorists along Edsa is ill-advised. What if the rest of our traffic enforcers follow suit by boarding buses and LRTs to sell cigarettes and newspapers to passengers? Who will now control the smooth flow of traffic?
Besides, such actions of government employees doing business while on duty, using government time and resources such as vehicles or motorcycles, is against the law. It reminds us of our poorly paid teachers who sold “champorado” (chocolate-flavored rice porridge) to their pupils. The practice triggered numerous complaints from parents due to the poor standard of instructions the pupils got from the busy enterprising teachers.
We just hope that the police will not be tempted to do the same.
—R.B. MORATA,
Comembo, Fort Bonifacio,
Makati City