|
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Editorials: Coastal road opening
The full opening to traffic of the Cebu City portion of the Cebu South Coastal Road last Wednesday and Thursday showed once more the contrast between putting the facility to maximum use and merely allowing vehicles with passes to pass it.
With more southbound vehicles using the coastal road, traffic in Pardo, which celebrated its fiesta on those days, became more manageable.
Unfortunately for motorists, Mayor Tomas Osmeña is still bent on continuing a setup that may have proven beneficial to him in relation to his quarrel with Talisay City officials but has not made the life of southbound commuters any better.
This is because despite the claimed leniency in issuing the coastal road passes, only a small percentage of motorists are availing of the privilege, thus taking away but a small part of the traffic burden on the old south road.
Apparently, the mayor is relishing the power he now has in deciding who should be allowed to pass the facility and when it should be fully opened to vehicular traffic.
With that power, he already has the attention of southbound motorists and even their gratitude every time he signs a pass or decides to fully open the road—and that can be useful in his future election endeavors.
But that, in turn, should be argument enough for others who have a say on the matter, like the national government, which owns the road, to ensure that important facilities are not placed at the mercy of one man.
Another spectacle
Trust our politicians these days to churn one awkward moment after another.
The latest is the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee's grilling of National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales on the Venable LLP contract and its subsequent move to cite him in contempt and detain him in the Senate building.
That incident has already resulted in Gonzales landing in the hospital and his supporters holding a rally denouncing the Senate act.
With the senators seemingly bent on not letting Gonzales go until he fully opens up on the details of the contract, and with Gonzales seemingly determined to be selective in providing information to the senators, a standoff is assured.
So until a way out is found, the country is again provided with another spectacle, this time a tug-of-war between the executive and legislative branches of government.
(September 24, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
