Saturday, December 02, 2006 People ready to sacrifice By Carmel P. Geverola & Jujemay G. Awit Of Sun.Star Cebu
COMMUTERS and drivers griped about the traffic snarls caused by the dry run for the Southeast Asian leaders’ summit, but some showed readiness to sacrifice.
“Agwanta lang ta pila ka adlaw kay pila man sad ka tuig nindot atong dan.
Kaning mga lampposts, di man na nila bawi-on after the summit (Let’s just sacrifice a few days during the summit because we will be enjoying good roads for some time. They will also not take back the new lampposts),” said Busay Barangay Captain Eliodoro Sanchez.
The dry run did not paralyze traffic in the Mabolo area, but it was bad enough to make some cab drivers wish Cebu had not agreed to serve as the venue.
“Paminaw nako, may pa wala na lang kay murag Cebu ra gyud ang naapektuhan (Listen to me, it would have been better if Cebu was not the venue),” said Greg Tribunalo, 37, a driver of Papa JP taxi.
He said that his daily earnings were cut by more than half and that he cannot imagine going through the same thing during the summit from Dec. 10 to 14.
So instead of driving during those days, Tribunalo would rather go to his hometown in Aloguinsan in southern Cebu and tend to the family farm.
Rexol Galve, 28, also a cab driver, shared Tribunalo’s fears.
“I do not know if I can earn. Traffic is so bad that we cannot get through,” Galve said.
Another driver, Felix Algones, 42, was more forgiving. “We are affected but it is okay because this is for the visitors,” he said.
Algones also said that Filipinos are known to be hospitable and we should show that in welcoming the Asean delegates.
But vendor Baby Rodriguez was not willing to make the sacrifice.
Rodriguez was irked that she had to walk from Salinas Drive to the jeepney stop along Archbishop Reyes Ave., some two kilometers away. Worse, she was among the vendors whose stalls had been demolished by the City Government for the summit.
Closed roads also compelled eateries along Salinas Drive in Lahug—which make up part of the so-called night economy that caters to call center workers—to adjust their operating hours for the day, to cut their losses.
Instead of remaining open during the daytime, when Salinas Drive is closed to traffic to secure dignitaries traveling to Marco Polo Plaza Hotel and Waterfront Hotel, they will pull all-nighters.
“At night, when the dignitaries retire to their hotel rooms, the security people will want to go someplace to unwind. We will be right here for them,” said Greg Mejia, operations manager of Goodah.Gud.
Mejia and his staff had a dry run of sorts yesterday as the police also did a dry run for the rerouting scheme they will implement during summit week.
“Only those staff members who live nearby, those who need not commute, will be asked to report on the day shift to help prepare the kitchen for the night shift,” Mejia said.
The entire Salinas Drive, extending towards Archbishop Reyes Ave., reaching F. Cabahug St. and into the Cebu Business Park, was closed twice yesterday. Each closure lasted for over an hour and forced commuters and private car owners to divert to secondary roads.
The narrow and steep alternate route tested drivers’ skill and patience in going to and from Busay and neighboring mountain barangays in Cebu City.
Some jeepney drivers opted to turn back upon reaching J.Y. Square in Lahug instead of negotiating Sanson Road that leads to Sitio Laguerta and then to Busay.
Although the steep stretch, at an angle of about 60 degrees, is asphalted, most of the rough dirt road can only accommodate two cars at a time.
Certain parts of the road are treacherous that drivers had to yield to other motorists.
Some jeepney drivers did not ply their routes and instead waited until the roads were reopened at 9:25 a.m. yesterday.
Veterans Drive and Salinas Drive, which are part of the Asean summit ceremonial route, were closed to traffic starting at 8 a.m. during the dry run.
The roads lead to Marco Polo Plaza Hotel, one of the venues of the summit on Dec. 10 to 14.
One resident in Hillview Subdivision in Lower Laguerta complained about the dust created by passing vehicles.
Dindo S. Perez, secretary of the subdivision’s homeowners association, told Sun.Star Cebu that they are caught in the middle of the conflict between Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Lahug Barangay Captain Mary Ann de los Santos.
Shortly after the 2004 elections, Perez said they requested the mayor to pave their road that is now part of the alternate route to Busay. But Osmeña refused because it is a private road and de los Santos might file a graft case against him for spending public funds for it.
“Now is a good chance to fix the road because it is used as an alternate route. I don’t think the residents will object. We are proud that the summit is being held in Cebu but they should also take care of the taxpayers,” Perez said.
The road in Hillview Subdivision, which has 32 homeowners, is about 150 meters long.
“If they are not going to fix it, we will not allow them to use the road,” Perez warned.
Busay Barangay Captain Sanchez deployed 10 tanods to help direct traffic at the alternate route. But he said radio communicators are needed to coordinate vehicles’ movement and aid motorists.
More road signs for detours should also be posted, he said.
The village chief advised residents to make deliveries by daybreak so they will not get in the traffic snarls.
Busay has about 1,400 households that are into flower and vegetable farming. But some of the residents are also office employees who will have to work during the summit.
Sanchez said the traffic officials and police will have to fine-tune their rerouting scheme to lessen inconvenience to the public while Cebu hosts the foreign leaders.
