When traffic enforcers were truly enforcers

The incident last Thursday between a Maserati-driving businessman and a traffic “constable” reminds me of the time when traffic enforcers were truly enforcers. This was during the early ‘80s when the now defunct Metro Manila Commission, forerunner of the Metro Manila Development Authority, formed the Metro Manila Traffic Management Authority (MMTMA) that focused its operations in 10 traffic efficiency zones (TEZ).

The first traffic aides, as they were then called, were former military men who had seen action in Mindanao. Remember that the country was still under martial law then and the government felt the need to hire these former servicemen to help enforce traffic. The MMC, headed by Metro Manila Governor Imelda R. Marcos, and the MMTMA executive director, the late Serafin Cui, had assured the traffic aides of their complete support.