OKAY. I guess, residents of Barangay Sambag 1 in Cebu City will finally get to use the two lanes of J. Urgello St. come April 30, 2020.
Or they should.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) created a validation team to ensure that the city’s 80 barangays, including Sambag 1, will comply with the directive to clear public roads from all obstructions.
By “all” I guess the DILG is saying that there will be no exceptions. Or there should be no exceptions.
I remember one resident whose vehicle was clamped. He had parked it on the newly concreted lane of J. Urgello St. right across my grandmother’s property. He was furious because he had placed a sign at the front that his car had a defective clutch, or something like that. Never mind, that he conveniently left his car in front of a “no parking, tow-away and wheel clamping zone” sign and facing the wrong way.
The erring motorist huffed and puffed and said he would take the matter to the barangay. He probably knew someone in the Barangay Hall and thought they could help him.
I think the personnel of the Cebu City Transportation Office could only scratch their heads and smile.
That’s the problem with the Philippines, or is it the same in other countries? I don’t know. I haven’t left this archipelago in so long I don’t know what’s going on outside my little bubble anymore.
Anyway, some people, even when caught with their pants down, so to speak, insist on getting their own way. Never mind if they end up inconveniencing the majority. No, their wish is everyone’s command because they believe they are entitled.
I don’t know what happened to the guy. His car was out on the road for two days before it was taken away.
Everyone has their own story. Some are sad. Tragic, even. The clamped car of that guy had a defective something. He thought the rest of the community should have understood. Never mind if he blatantly violated a traffic law. He had an excuse.
Speaking of which, what is Sambag 1’s excuse for the unfinished concreting project of J. Urgello St.? Or should I direct the question to the City Government?
Either way, they have two months to destroy the other lane and then concrete it. And I’m only talking about completing the project. They still have to clear the road of obstructions to comply with the DILG directive.
At the rate things are going, Sambag 1 has a lot of catching up if it wants a passing grade from the validation team.
Of course, the barangay will need the help of residents.
That means people will have to refrain from throwing their garbage along the curb. They must not park their cars on the newly concreted lane. They must stop treating the road as an extension of their homes. Finally, they must stop making excuses.
A barangay or the City can only do so much. It shouldn’t waste its time playing cat-and-mouse with idiots.