Bus firms warned vs showing inappropriate movies
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2019 08:13:47 +0000
PASSENGERS line up to buy their tickets at a bus station in Manila. Bus provincial trips are already fully booked as thousands go to their provinces to spend the Holy Week with their families. (Mark Balmores)
Police Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), warned yesterday bus companies and their drivers not to show movies inappropriate for children as thousands of passengers are expected to go for a long travel to the provinces for the long Lenten break.
Eleazar made the warning amid complaints in the past that some drivers and conductors of provincial buses were showing movies with extreme violence and sexual themes even with the presence of children in their respective buses.
In almost all cases, parents would tag along their children for a long travel to their respective provinces.
“We urge them to pick films that are child-friendly. They should be responsible enough what to show for their passengers, especially with the presence of children passengers,” said Eleazar.
Bus drivers usually show various local and Hollywood films while waiting for other passengers and during the travel time for entertainment purposes.
In order to ensure compliance, some policemen were tasked to monitor buses in the terminals situated in Metro Manila. The policemen are expected to warn the drivers and conductors about Eleazar’s instruction.
Eleazar, however, said that parents and other passengers are also encouraged to report the showing of inappropriate films to policemen manning the Police Assistance Desks.
Almost 5,000 police assistance desks were already set up across the country, particularly in bus terminals, seaports and major thoroughfares.
“Our personnel are ready to assist the passengers and address their concerns,” said Eleazar.
The NCRPO chief said passengers can report erring bus drivers and conductors through the NCRPO Facebook and Twitter accounts or could be sent via 09999018181 and 09158888181.
Eleazar said they will be coordinating with the Movie and Television Review Classification Board (MTRCB) in running after and in filing cases against erring bus drivers and conductors.
Earlier, Eleazar also ordered his men to intensify the operations against drug pushers selling shabu to bus drivers, as well as intensify the monitoring against bus drivers using illegal drugs to ‘keep them awake’ due to the huge volume of passengers. (Aaron Recuenco)