By Chelsea Villaester AB Political Science student
Cebuanos are no strangers to orange cones, dug-up pavements and endless promises that infrastructure will soon bring progress. Yet, as weeks turn into months — and in some cases, years — many of these projects remain unfinished, damaged, or simply abandoned. The question now resonates louder than ever: Where are our taxes going?
Take a drive through Cebu City or its neighboring towns and the story is written on the roads themselves. Uneven pavements and potholes test the patience of motorists daily. Drainage projects, supposedly meant to ease flooding, are left open-ended, posing dangers to commuters and pedestrians. Residents are asked for patience, but patience is not infinite — especially when taxes are religiously collected and people see little in return.
The problem is not merely inconvenience. These unfinished and poorly maintained projects translate into wasted resources, economic losses and erosion of public trust. Each delay has a price: traffic congestion that chokes productivity, safety hazards that threaten lives and missed opportunities for local businesses that rely on efficient transport networks.
Equally concerning is the shadow of corruption that hovers over these issues. When projects stall without clear explanations, people are left to wonder whether funds have been mismanaged, misused, or lost to questionable contracts. Transparency should not be optional; it is the lifeblood of public service.
To be fair, infrastructure is never easy. Land disputes, rising construction costs and bureaucratic red tape are real obstacles. But the weight of governance lies in overcoming these hurdles, not using them as excuses. Local leaders must ensure contractors are held accountable, that projects are monitored strictly, and that the public is informed every step of the way.
Cebu deserves infrastructure that works, not half-built monuments to inefficiency. Every peso in taxes represents hard-earned money from ordinary Cebuanos — jeepney drivers, teachers, vendors and office workers — who expect their sacrifice to come back in the form of safer roads, efficient drainage and reliable public works.
The plight of Cebu’s infrastructure is not just about concrete and steel; it is about trust. If our leaders fail to deliver on the basics, how can people believe in promises of bigger visions? Progress begins with finishing what has been started, repairing what has been broken and showing the people that their taxes truly build the Cebu they deserve.