So, Department of Transportation communications director Goddes Hope Oliveros-Libiran shared these photos with the media, with the following description:

Look: Spare parts to be utilized for MRT’s general maintenance activities are all set, a few days before the Holy Week! These include 1,000m of contact wire, 100 pieces of diffusers, several cans of paint for the repainting of walls and signage, and signaling consumables for general cleaning. There are also 782 pieces of LRV tires available for the annual and regular maintenance of the trains.

Well and good. But also sad at the same time. Because this shows us that things have gotten so bad—so hopeless—that a maintenance procedure now needs to be flaunted by our government just to convince us that our transportation issues are being addressed. It’s like a college student bragging to his parents that he’s studying for the final exams. Like an employee sending evidence to his boss that he has already filed his weekly report. Like a mayor putting up billboards announcing the beautification of his city.

You get the point.

But can you really blame our transport authorities for wanting a little pat on the back? All they receive these days are complaints and rants on social media. Maybe send some love their way, guys?