Tuesday, October 07, 2008 Covington: That's progress By Gary Covington Looking in
REGION 11's Department of Health (DOH) does not have the facilities to test our drinking water for toxic agricultural chemicals. Davao International Airport doesn't have radar. The city does not have, of any description, an efficient and effective mass transit system but hey -- look on the bright side -- we do have (or will have shortly) a mall for every 10% of the city's population and that's progress.
We've got exclusive high-end subdivisions and condos too. Guarded and gated communities where you reside in the Philippines and yet leave the Philippines outside the entrance, living in the manner of someone else's different and obviously better lifestyle, be it Mediterranean or Caribbean, and a lifestyle beyond the reach of 99% of Filipinos.
Beyond the reach, you bet. Take a look at the recently published press blurb promoting the latest Robinsons Land Corporation development, the Montclair Highlands subdivision out here in Buhangin.
The subdivision will consist of 423 lots, each lot being 200 square meters in area and, unless there's been a typo, each lot will start -- start! -- at P7 million (Building included? The blurb doesn't make clear).
I liked Thursday's column by Roberto Alabado -- The Planning Man -- commenting on how Davao's Diversion Road -- originally built as a city bypass -- is now a seemingly unregulated ribbon development of residential communities and industry.
The Mandug road at Buhangin is suffering the same fate. The highway is presently only two lanes and yet the public market vendors' stalls push against the asphalt of the road and a mess of temporary roadside businesses have sprung up -- lumber yards, tire repair, ukay-ukay -- and if it's highway land or government land or private land well, since when has that been a consideration?
Yes, it's been another glum week exacerbated by being blown off the road by an ancient smoke-belching Weena bus. WEENA. Going south. No doubt the driver and passengers had a huge laugh seeing me head off into the rough and no, I don't remember if there was a bike lane.
Still on the roads and have you been following the "All Aboard" mini-bus saga? I reckon it's a controversy fuelled by jealousy that someone has a scheme that works.
Here's a clean and neat minibus with a fixed route and fixed stops and it has to be the shape of things to come. The existing free-for-all of PUJs, trisikads and habal-habals is the root cause of the city's noise and exhaust pollution, traffic anarchy and the rush hour go-slow. It's a free-for-all which has to stop. Either that or manic Manila here we come. And we don't want that do we?
Happier news was that Mayor Duterte wants a total ban on videoke machines within residential areas. Great idea Mayor and, while you're at it, how about banning those boomboxes on wheels, particularly the three-wheeled trisikad variety which stuff outsize speakers beneath the seats. In my neck of the woods they start up at around five-thirty in the morning, blasting past with speakers at full volume, their consideration for a still yawning community zero.
Lastly lastly and it's that time again. The mall is playing "White Christmas" over its sound system and ABS-CBN are stuffing down our throats, and have been for the last month, their Christmas countdown -- as if we were a nation without calendars. Loons.
