Speed Limit

Somehow, I think I understand how this got started, and how it spread.

I have been writing this column for a decade now. (Could you believe that? There would be what I could call as “lean times”. These are times when there is no relevant issue to write an article about. (It is either that or I just haven’t been paying attention to what’s been happening around me.) ) As someone who works in media, that’s so difficult, because there’s nothing juicy or earth-shattering to talk about. A media personality would risk going on air or on print as boring.

Of course, something always happens. (I remember this song that goes, “something’s always wrong”.) But I can’t write about brawls among drunkards on the barangay alleys, or street traffic caused by parked pedicabs. It has to be significant and relevant. (Although, I remember that I have written about trivial issues like brownouts, newly opened malls, or traffic; simply because there really isn’t anything “hot” for a topic.) On one hand, that is good because that means life is relatively peaceful and controversy-free for a time. Isn’t that we all want? (I can not be too sure. There could be people out there who crave controversy.)

So, when a reporter stumbles upon a juicy viral Facebook post, he would plunge on it and toss that online, on air or on print to attract readers, viewers, listeners, reactors, commenters like moths to a light source.

I heard about it while sipping coffee in McDonald’s in Bichara last Saturday. I went, ‘so, that’s an issue”. I heard there has been loud reactions that sprang and sparked and spread among the public. I’m talking about this 30-40 kph speed limit in Naga City.

I internally exclaimed, “why on earth put a speed limit on vehicles in Naga?”. We shouldn’t be slowing down. If anything, we should be speeding up. I think jeepneys that cruise down General Luna and J. Hernandez could move a bit faster. There was a time when I was riding a tricycle along Panganiban, and I almost fell asleep because we were stuck there for a long time. (Come on, Am I the only one in a hurry around here?)

Let’s set it straight. Many people may not know this, or already know it but choose to forget it.

Ordinance no. 2019 099, An Ordinance Providing for the Speed Limits for All Kinds of Motor Vehicles within the TERRITORIAL Jurisdiction of the City of Naga, which provides that Default Speed Limit: 30 kph for all motor vehicles on city streets, was authored by Councilor Lito del Rosario, enacted on December 5, 2019. Of course, the ordinance was enacted in the time of former Mayor Nelson Legacion, not of Mayor Leni Robredo.

Allegedly, the ordinance was not implemented immediately then (which was before the pandemic), because Public Safety Office personnel did not have speed guns. Apparently, they have recently acquired these devices that would tell if a vehicle is moving too fast, so, they suddenly remembered the ordinance.

No, PSO won’t be implementing the ordinance in the near future. So, you can continue with your conventional speed.

Reportedly, the Sangguniang Panlungsod will review the ordinance, as instructed by Mayor Leni. I presume, to check if the speed limit is still appropriate in 2026.

However, the ordinance was based on national law, which means it’s just localizing a law which should be implemented anyway, because it is national law. Furthermore, since it got passed as an ordinance, it should have gone through sufficient public consultation. This means, people said “yes” to this. People raised thumbs up , agreeing “okay” to this.

Now, fast-forward to 2026, some social media user decides to post about the speed limit in Naga as if it is current news, enacted by the incumbent Mayor. Then, media stations start broadcasting it as if it is current news. Then listeners, viewers, readers, start reacting vehemently, throwing their indignation against the current administration, because they just assumed so.

Come on, guys who talk over microphones, who post and type articles, do some research.

I read a comment that said that many people seemed to be bitter against the Mayor, the incumbent, current Mayor. Yeah, I have been hearing about it. I hear it from parents and teachers, from drivers, from employees, from small businessmen, from drivers and commuters who get hassled by carless streets, from impatient pedestrians waiting for Plaza Quezon repairs to get finished, and from different sorts of people.

Yeah. Sometimes, leadership can become unpopular. But, isn’t democracy a popularity contest?

Luke 6:26

““Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.”