THE use of “VIP” transport by government officials at all levels has been a source of public frustration for years, but with the onset of the war-induced energy crisis, that frustration is building into anger. While there are a few responsible public servants who have ventured to address the issue, the government has yet to take decisive action to “check the privilege” of officials who remain detached from reality and the sentiments of the people.
There are two practices that are sparking public fury. The first is the use of multi-vehicle convoys, often including motorcycle-borne police escorts to clear a path through traffic. The second is the misuse of so-called “red plate” government vehicles. There are clear rules governing the use of these for official duty purposes only, and banning their use on holidays and weekends, but enforcement of these rules is inconsistent at best.
Last week, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian called out other politicians for continuing to use convoys and escorts, pointing out the obvious that this is a profligate use of fuel at a time when everyone is being strongly encouraged to take conservation measures. “Sometimes there’s only one person (being transported), but there are already two vehicles, plus an escort. That really consumes a lot of fuel. So let’s start with the politicians,” he said.
Gatchalian drew praise from netizens for acknowledging what many of them had been posting complaints about for weeks, but on the other hand, he was criticized for seeming to suggest that the prohibition on convoys and escorts should be just a temporary measure. In his statement, he did say that “they (politicians) should conserve for now,” to which most online commenters responded by demanding that a permanent ban be implemented.
Senator Gatchalian is not the first to call out the government for the excessive use of convoys. During deliberations for the 2026 national budget in November last year, Senate President Vicente Sotto III took the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to task over the issue, urging the agency to address the abuse of government convoys while ordinary citizens face worsening traffic congestion. Sotto, who is noteworthy for driving his own car to work like a normal person despite his position’s VIP travel privileges, singled out the Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG) under the Philippine National Police (PNP), calling on them to better train their officers to be respectful of other motorists while escorting important officials.
In that particular hearing, Sen. JV Ejercito, sponsor of the DILG budget, responded by saying that the PNP had taken steps to curb abuses, reducing the number of high government officials authorized to use convoys to just nine. However, as some of our own colleagues have pointed out, PNP officials themselves are among the biggest abusers of the convoy practice, often traveling in three- or four-car groups, and making liberal use of the restricted EDSA Carousel busway, which they are not authorized to do for non-emergency purposes.
As for the use of red-plate vehicles, the DILG did make an effort at the beginning of February to curb abuses, issuing a stern memo detailing what constitutes illegitimate use. Memorandum Circular 2026-011 strictly prohibits the use of government-owned vehicles on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as on holidays or during periods when there is no official government business. The directive also explicitly bans the use of these vehicles for personal or private purposes. The memo also emphasized that officials covered by the memorandum may face administrative and even criminal liability for violations. In press and social media statements following the release of the circular, the DILG encouraged the public to report violations through its various official channels.
While all of that is appropriate, it is nothing new. Clear rules for the proper use of government vehicles have been in place for years, and the fact that yet another memorandum had to be issued about it only recently is quite an indictment of the government’s will and ability to ensure they are consistently followed.
That needs to change, because even if we were now experiencing “normal” circumstances, officials lording their transportation privilege over the common public is disrespectful to those they supposedly serve, and a waste of public resources. While we recognize that there are security concerns for some officials, if the Senate president, the third most powerful official in the land, can drive himself to work, then there must be less arrogant and more efficient ways of addressing those concerns.
