CAGAYAN de Oro traffic might embrace another blow again as the oldest bridge in the city will undergo a seven-day retrofitting, and within that course, the in-flows and out-flows of the vehicles can test people's patience.
Built in 1931, the Ysalina Bridge, commonly known as Carmen Bridge has been a witness to the local history, being near the City Hall and St. Augustine church. Old photographs suggest the pristine coastal areas near the bridge which were not yet inhabited by people and buildings but covered in thick grasses and trees.
Thus, a maintenance upgrade to the bridge is only befitting to maintain its strength, given also the reality that there are more vehicles passing the bridge every day, and the potential threat of flashfloods by the Cagayan River can challenge its foundations.
The Roads and Traffic Administration together with other agencies have already come up with rerouting plans. This might mean that heavy traffic is inevitable, especially when it rains.
The existence if heavy traffic can give us realizations that the main city streets are getting smaller by the day. This is partly because of the old roads were a reflection of the old Cagayan de Oro.
And now comes the rainy season, which has been another stress-inducing scenario for the commuters, sometimes the rain comes in heavy, and access to public transportation is scarce, even for a taxi. These are the things every Kagay-anon commuter should take in mind in his or her daily routine to go to work or transact businesses.
But this is not only exclusive to Cagayan de Oro only, we can read and hear stories that it is also happening in other parts of the country that is outside Metro Manila, like Cebu and Davao Cities.
These heavy traffics can be subtle indicators of development plans that need to be laid out, or if it is existing, needs an upgrade or revisiting.
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The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) under the leadership of Secretary Judy Taguiwalo never failed to impress the public since it took the helm together with the new administration.
So far, it did a highly satisfactory service especially to situations concerning humanitarian response in disasters and natural calamity. The department is visible and responsive despite some minor shortcomings.
Then here comes the Marawi City crisis that forced its residents to evacuate due to the ongoing fighting between government troops and terrorists, this can be the agency's biggest challenge so far.
Inter-government agency coordination, as well as participation of the private sectors are crucial for DSWD's operation with regards to this ongoing crisis, as some affected families remain in need of help because more than a month later, they were not given adequate attention.
However, there is a strong possibility that DSWD can survive this. We can always hope they can.
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