Education and Justice on Wheels

I’ve always been amazed with utility vehicles being used not for public transportation but as an extension of public service delivery. Because of modern transportation technology, now, even residents of the farthest, remotest and least developed vicinities can have access to services to which every citizen is entitled.

Take for example mobile libraries. In 1995, the Mobile Library Program was launched by Museo Pambata.Its main objective is to impart the value of reading to children through storytelling and book-lending sessions. Six years later, the Mobile Library van was inaugurated through a grant from Ford Foundation Philippines. It is a six-wheeler roving library with over 3,000 children's books and other learning aids for the benefit of the children of Manila and neighboring cities. I think mobile libraries can already be considered as a necessity in our country because many of our public schools do not have libraries at all. I am inclined to believe that one of the main reasons why we don’t develop as a nation (not just in the economic but also into the political aspect as well) is that our population is not literate enough. Our country needs more Efren Penafloridas.

Another brilliant idea is the Supreme Court’s Enhanced Justice on Wheels (EJOW) Program. In this program, buses are being converted into courtrooms and mediation centers. As of press time, the EJOW program has released over a thousand inmates and has helped resolve more than 2,300 criminal and civil cases filed in courts across the country. This could be the answer to the judiciary's recurring problem of clogged court dockets. More importantly, people from far-flung areas who are underprivileged can already have their day in court.

I tend to have more faith in science and technology than in law. Throughout history, while the legal system (not just of our country but of the rest of the world) is in the process of evolution, science and technology is already undergoing revolution, and a very, very fast one at that. At the very least, I just hope our government would make the most use of our existing technology in order to render its services more accessible, effective and efficient.

(Seventh entry)

Sources:
http://www.museopambata.org/programs.htm
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/nation/20490-wb-backs-justice-on-wheels-program.html
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/144794/SC-mobile-court-releases-213-inmates
Pictures:
http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/cms/images/image002125.jpg
http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/cms/images/image002125.jpg (the pic is from UK. I can't find a good picture of the one from Museo Pambata)
http://www.sarangani.gov.ph/newsimg/1178-a.jpg