Monday, December 31, 2007 Ledesma: Some 2007 bits and pieces By Jun Ledesma Sunbursts
DESPITE the grumbling and sour-graping of the opposition and the usual griping from the militant groups, 2007 is yet another good year. Notwithstanding our congressmen and other external factors that impede the full throttle of our economy, 2007 still serves as the springboard for a challenging and fruitful 2008.
I am an incorrigible optimist and have good bases to say so. But that will demand from me a more divining and wider national perspective, which I do not profess to be adequately informed. That makes me parochial but then water can only rise to just within its permissible level.
In short pang lokal lang tayo. At this time when we are about to exit from 2007, let me give you my personal rundown of what I consider were significant and interesting events, persons, etcetra, etcetera that make the exciting year a harbinger of good things for 2008.
Let me start with latrines. My late grandfather told me that you could judge a household by the cleanliness of their latrines.
Gaisano Mall, G-Mall for short, finally had reinvented their public lavatories (CRs), which used to be just like what they have until today at Victoria Plaza.
G-Malls toilets are now spick-and-span. No wonder they are starting to draw more shoppers these days.
Spanking new and clean public toilets were started by MTS (Matina Town Square) and Eden Nature Park. After that, SM Davao provided the kind of standard alien to many superstores that were ahead of it. Then came NCCC. What remains Jurassic are Victoria and JSG.
BTW, I hope the management of G-Mall does something about the messy way taxicabs are picking up passengers at the mall. The mall does not implement strictly the system of queuing of taxis. They allow their guards and dispatchers to race for the streets to get the cabs for passengers who can give them tips for doing so, at the expense of passengers who are senior citizens, disabled or are carrying plenty of goodies.
A strict queuing system ought to be implemented. Taxicabs allowed to queue should be required to carry all passengers and not choose only those whose destination are to their (driver's) liking. Taxi drivers who choose passengers should be blacklisted and not allowed to line up anymore. This advise is applicable not only to G-Mall but to all malls in the city.
People's Park - It's literally the centerpiece of the City Government gift to the people of Davao City. Some quarters are making a big issue of the cost that went into setting up this park. On the other hand I think that every centavo earmarked for the park was well spent.
You have to see what this space used to be for you to appreciate how the grandeur that it is today. Promenaders should take care of this park. It's the only one of its kind in the Philippines and it can only be seen in Davao City.
Mana Mana is an innocuous establishment selling antiques and other precious work of art along Bajada. The owners on the other hand must have spent thousands of pesos to set up those fascinating Christmas spectacle in an otherwise drab surroundings along the highway. It drew hundreds of motorists and pedestrians during nighttime when the lights are on.
The city government should give the establishment a prize for making Christmas in Davao a bit lively. This humble establishment put in shame San Miguel Corp., in Sta. Cruz and the big malls in Davao City who were raking in most of the people's money during Christmas season. Victoria Plaza did its best, too. Davao Light & Power Company should write off the December bills of Mana Mana.
Although DCWD has yet to provide us dwellers in Guadalupe Subdivision sufficient pressure to bring water to the second floor of our houses, I salute the authority for it has not raised its rate. Everything has gone up except our water rates.
Medco and Undersecretary Vir Leyretana did very well long with the City Chamber in hosting the BIMP-Eaga conference here. There is one strong fishy message to the world that that conference conveyed. Since the sea between the Philippines and Indonesia is where the tuna spawns, every nation must help in conserving the marine resources that we have there.
Traffic signs and the drainage system are being undertaken, although if you ask me the performance is extremely slow like it will take the contractors forever to complete the projects.
Gov. Cora Malanyaon is upstaging local provincial officials. If we have to believe the news and pictures, the first serious and comprehensive bio-fuel program will take off in Davao Oriental. I heard governor Cora is honing up on her Spanish.
Sid Ungab's victory over a Lopez is indeed a coup. Not only for the former city councilor but also for Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who proved to all and sundry that he has what it takes to make people win.
Inday Sarah the mayoral daughter though sashayed in the vice mayoral race. She is making a name for herself and that includes a new family name having married to a scion of the Carpio clan.
The peace and order condition in Davao City remains stable. This despite the unfortunate murder of 'lumon' Ferdie Lintuan.
BTW, I got a call from ace and witty writer Jojie Alcantara and from Ely Luciano of Super Balita telling me that the meaning of "lumon" is brother. Bye, bye lumon.
Here's an e-mail from an avid Sunbursts reader- Chito Prat:
Hi Jun,
One other local daily, not yours, had one of the opinion writers singing praises on the amounts Cong. Nograles gets for our city.
The amounts in question are not the use of pork barrel funds. The amounts mentioned are simply releases from the General Appropriations Act (GAA), the National Budget. Someone in his office makes it appear it was done with his efforts. Simply not true. It is already a law, release of which is done by the Department of Budget Management. It is not on his "initiative" so no signs should be posted to that effect.
How do I know: I worked on the Department of Agriculture budget for at least three years during the watch of Sec. Dominguez. The line items in the GAA are very specific.
Hope those guys who like to defend the actions of Cong. Nograles in placing his name in all nooks and crannies in the city should check and see the GAA for themselves.
Cheers!
Chito Prat
(For your comments, email me at: scledesmajr@yahoo.com.)
