EVEN poor countries like Bangladesh have railway systems. Us, none. There was before but presidents after presidents kept "dropping" the ball. The Bicolanos had the Bicol express. The seniors will remember. From Tutuban in Manila people can take the train up to Damortis in La Union. It made several stops. In Malolos, San Fernando and then in Angeles. And from Angeles, my parents and me in tow will take us to its last stop in Damortis. From there a Baguio Auto Lines (BAL) bus will snake into the Kennon road. Baguio City deserved then its monicker: The City of Pines or The Summer Capital of the Philippines. Sad to say, it is no longer the city of pines. Over the years, it was bastardized. Failures of past leaders.
Any country will have to rely on mobility of people and goods to drive progress. Mobility in this country is far from being achieved. Consequently, progress is still turtle pace. The Duterte 'Build, Build Build' program maybe a relief in sight but it's still suffering from blunders traceable to one particular agency, the Department of Transportation. Of course the bureaucrats there will deny it. Compare it with the score sheet of the Department of Public Works and Highways, DOTr will pale (fail) in comparison.
In a press release carried by this paper yesterday, DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade ordered the fast tracking of the ongoing construction of the PNR Clark Phase 1 that will connect Metro Manila up to Malolos, Bulacan. Hanggang Malolos pa lang. it should be renamed Metro Manila-Malolos PNR project. This particular segment by Tugade Own admission is only 43 percent complete.
To further quote Secretary Tugade: "We have a lot of catching up to do it's so little time left." While the DOTr has a lot of catching up to do, the DPWH under the young Secretary Mark Villar has already completed many vital roads, expressways and skyways. Let's review again the score cards.
TIDBITS: So the vaccines already arrived In Pampanga. Thanks for your effort Governor Dennis Pineda. There was already a symbolic vaccination featuring Dr. Montserrat Chichioco, head of JBL hospital getting her first dose. My source told me that massive inoculations will peak in June this year...I wish to express my profound thanks to Arayat Councilors Genalyn Marquez and Pines Alejandrino for acting as guides in our vlog shoot last week in their beautiful town...Senator Bong Go visited Angeles City the other day and gave cash assistance to several people who mostly came from Macabebe and Masantol. He also went to the Ospital ning Angeles (ONA) and distributed some amounts to frontliners there. Visit us more often Mr. Senator. He was accompanied by our friend Congressman Jorge Bustos of party list Patrol... it is summer time and people want to make dips on swimming pools. Angeles City Mayor Carmelo "Pogi" Lazatin Jr. already task his dam to prepare the protocols to be observed on resort places in the city... I observed one weekend night inside the Clark Freeport that there was no observance of health protocols at the food stalls near Clark Development Corporation. Paging Public Safety Department people.