by Ben V. Sumog-oy
Issues and views

THE ongoing P22-million project for the improvement of the General Paulino Santos Park in General Santos City has lately transmogrified into controversy that tests our intestinal fortitude, as trivial issues against it are bloated out of proportion.

This sickening controversy, though artificially propelled, did not spring from the issue of the legality of the project (it has already become a non-issue after it was clarified), but from the many misconceptions as to its economic value and its place in the hierarchy of the city's priority needs.

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As of now, the possibility that the controversy would just simmer down time is yet to loom in the city's social horizon. It is settled that, unless thoroughly explained, the hullabaloo cannot be made to simmer down by merely allowing it to pass through time uncontested.

As it appears, the problem is not the project or the controversy itself, but the city government's information apparatus miserably failing to wage an effective counterpose against the cascading, but vulnerable, debris of information. This debris of information can readily be shattered by positing on well-studied countervailing arguments.

On the other hand, even if the city government's information machine runs smoothly and fast, still, it is not a guarantee that the multi-million park's development project would be, at all, free from criticisms.

The socio-political and economic frameworks behind the city government's decision to undertake this same project are intertwining, complicated and deep-seated, and, therefore, cannot be easily fathomed. Thus, we cannot blame some people, especially those with very limited background on political economy, for waging an emotionally laded critique or review of the General Paulino Santos Park's development project.

The importance of this project should not be examined independent from the overall development thrust of the city government; otherwise, we will lose tract of its mystics. It should be seen through the lens of the city's well-carved vision, and the appurtenant development strategies it pursues to attain the same.

More than this, however, the efficacy of the General Paulino Park Development Project can be more appreciated by taking into account its moorings on generally accepted economic theories, on the role of the state and, more importantly, on the intrinsic philosophy of our human existence.

Let us begin. A truly efficacious society has long revised a new set of standard for our existence by adding "leisure" -- apart from foods, clothing, health, education and shelter -- as one of the basic human needs.

It affirms the universal theory that human being is both material and abstract, a happy combine of the flesh and spirit. These two dimensions of a human being are integral, immutable, and they operate in perfect harmony. What afflicts one affects the other. Thus, considering their inviolable integrity, they are both subject to state civil interventions. Later, we will explain why.

The mushrooming of commercial resorts and other places of recreation everywhere in the country, the city included, is a tacit recognition that "leisure" is a basic human necessity. It is necessary for one's well-balanced personal growth and development, and to harmonize the "forces" lurking in persons so that they may live free from any internal repulse.

This, in the end, could result to the eventual harmonization of the whole society. It is given that social harmony can never be attained if the society is dominated by crackpots, and inhabited by people with disturbing psychological mindsets.

Today, resorts and other places of leisure are considered as locus and focus of local, domestic and global business offensives because -- similar to investments in foods, clothing, health, education and shelter -- they have unlimited, inexhaustible captured markets.

The reason why they have unlimited, inexhaustible market is simple. The people cannot avoid them because, without them, they may not prosper; and, without them, civilization may not be able to continue. (To be continued)

For comments: Email: Bsumogoy@yahoo.com, Blog site: Bensumogoy.wordpress.com)

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(This section is updated every Monday)

(November 17, 2008 issue)
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