Livable Cebu: More green spaces, local entertainment

CEBU, Philippines - Undeniably, Cebu City is not the only city in the world that is experiencing the consequences of massive urban growth. However, it has the unique benefit of being able to see and learn from the results that the choices of various cities have brought upon themselves.

Says Movement for a Livable Cebu, with Marc Canton at the helm, mega cities such as Metro Manila, Delhi, and Los Angeles are building wider streets and more flyovers to accommodate the ever increasing flood of ever more cars stuck in traffic.

"Some cities have even demolished flyovers that can no longer convey the cars efficiently enough in order to build even bigger, wider flyovers. Others have ten-lane roads, but even these quickly become jammed," its Stop Cebu Flyover Manifesto read.

However, sustainable cities like Bogota, Curitiba, Mexico City have bravely taken a different approach to reduce the need and use for cars and polluting fossil fuels by providing multiple and effective urban mobility alternatives for its citizens such as walking, biking, mass transit, car sharing, and many other creative modalities. "Some demolished their flyovers to make way for sunlit areas and revitalized open spaces. Others have even turned their flyovers into elevated gardens and pedestrian walks," the manifesto added.

The movement contended that "more vehicles on the road can only mean dedicating more of our limited resources to build more roads and flyovers, more pollution, more ailments and more devastating impacts of climate change."

Alternatively, the movement empowers us to choose the other direction leading to making Cebu truly sustainable and livable: true useable sidewalks, dedicated bike lanes, mass transit on the road and a water-based mass transit via the Mactan Channel, and more open green spaces. "We deserve cleaner air, less congestion, better commutes, and greater interactions among the residents, freed up from having to spend time in traffic locked up in individual vehicles," this was further emphasized.

In the context of an integrated sustainability design or master plan for Cebu City, that includes a viable urban mobility plan, flyovers can have their own place and value, but not as they are being proposed at Gorordo Avenue, MJ Cuenco and Mandaue. Advocates of green practices rally that "our daily commuting experience manifests that the flyovers already in place cause more traffic problems than they resolve."

"Why would we want more of these monsters? Surely, there are other solutions that need to be seriously considered, that may even be cheaper, faster without permanently damaging the historical cultural value of our city, our environment, without destroying the essence of life in the community."

Live local entertainment component

Culture is a common thing we share. We don't only share the aspiration to work, pray, eat and love as one. We also look forward to commuting in a safe manner, all the days of our lives.

That's why local talents put up a good fight against flyovers via Wednesday night shows at Handuraw Pizza along Gorordo Avenue to showcase how advocacy and live entertainment can effectively put the message across that we have the choice to go for a more livable and sustainable Cebu - the perfect gift we can give to our offspring!

Movement for a Livable Cebu, Cebu International Documentary Film Festival (with Marie Ernestine Denise Fajatin-Pegarido as Board Secretary), and Handuraw Pizza have mounted "Lingawlingaw sa Handuraw" to raise funds for the upcoming activities of the movement.

Every Wednesday night at Handuraw, there will be a one-hour Cebuano extravaganza hosted by Sam Costanilla. Last May 9, "Gabii sa Pasiawit" (A night of standup comedy and songs) featured Max "Daloydoy" Andrino with the special participation of local crooner Boyet Lim. The "Sangka sa Hambog" (bluffing competition) was scheduled last May 16. "Tigmo, tigmo agukoy ug Balitaw" (Cebuano riddles and trivia with songs)             was on May 23, while the "Gabii sa Harana ug Balak" (A night of serenade and poetry) is set to happen on May 30.

Door cover charge is P150 per night.  (FREEMAN)