Wednesday, October 2, 2019

MMDA's Pialago slams 'bashers'

‘Puro reklamo lang ang kaya niyong gawin,’ MMDA’s Pialago tells ‘bashers’

As the nationwide transport strike concluded on Monday night, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) spokesperson Celine Pialago penned a message for her “bashers” in a post on her official Facebook page.


Pialago became a hot topic on social media for her defense of the administration’s planned Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) modernization program, which was the subject of the Sept. 30 protests.

"The government will never allow them to be successful," Pialago said of the PUV operators who had taken part in the strike.

The reaction online to her words included the resurrection of a viral clip of Pialago as a contestant in the 2014 Miss Earth Philippines competition, when she said that a fellow candidate had "passed away," instead of passed out.

Anakbayan also took part in the snark, saying in a statement that the MMDA's empathy for drivers, operators and commuters "has passed away."

In her Facebook post, Pialago doubled down on her words.

“What's wrong with not letting your transport strike being successful? We won't let you be successful because your intentions are wrong,” she said.

Pialago also claimed that the MMDA was able to "normalize" the situation during the transport strike.

However, GMA News found long lines of commuters struggling to hitch a ride home at the height of rush hour.

In her Facebook statement, Pialago also said that the transport strike participants were holding commuters' comfort.

“We are after the welfare of the people, at sa pagkakataong ito, mahalaga sa amin na hindi na kayo dumagdag pa sa araw-araw ng hirap na dinaranas ng mga commuters,” Pialago said, referring to the drivers and operators who participated in the strike.

“Despite the good intentions of the government, puro reklamo lang ang kaya niyong gawin. Nasasanay kayong gobyerno ang mag-aadjust sa lahat ng reklamo niyo particularly dito sa PUV Modernization Program,” she added.

Members of various transport groups nationwide participated in the strike to protest some contingencies in the PUV modernization program, such as the cancellation of franchises and “impossible” to obtain requirements. — Julia Mari T. Ornedo/BM, GMA News

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