What a beautiful morning!

It’s a beautiful mornin’, Ahhh,
I think I’ll go outside a while, An jus’ smile.
Just take in some clean fresh air, boy!
Ain’t no sense in stayin’ inside
If the weather’s fine an’ you got the time.
It’s your chance to wake up and plan another brand new day.
Either way, it’s a beautiful mornin’, Ahhh,
Each bird keeps singin’ his own song. ......
....There will be children with robins and flowers;
Sunshine caresses each new waking hour.

Each time I wake up and head off to work, I feel so refreshed from a good night’s sleep. I wash up, dress up and then have a good meal although sometimes I must admit, I over sleep and do not get to eat breakfast anymore. As I get inside the car the morning air seems to be so refreshing and cool especially now that the Christmas breeze is beginning to come in.

Last Friday, I went to Roxas Boulevard early in the morning. From Quezon City we passed through EDSA to get to Greenhills first. That was a good ride. There was no traffic (mild lang) at that hour. So, I was still in my mellow and calm mode (not mood). From Greenhills, we headed toward Roxas Boulevard and decided to pass through Makati. I do not usually go to Makati since my workplace is in the Greenhills area. Oh my, as soon as we reached the SM Megamall area I saw the traffic. Although a few minutes before seeing it, I was humming the song by the Rascal’s, What A Beautiful Morning and suddenly when I saw the traffic, the words "EKK" ended the song on my mind. I almost choked to the lyrics because it sure did not jive with what I saw. The morning was not beautiful after all, it was full of traffic and pollution and as I was observing the highway and the streets, I started to see the dirt and filth in the metropolis. Wow! How depressing.

We had to pass through The Fort (Bonifacio City) from the Mandaluyong Bridge because there was no way we could reach our destination on time with the traffic. As we were approaching The Fort, you can already see the broken pavements, the tangled PLDT or Meralco wires and garbage so early in the morning. Kakasira ng araw! As we were approaching The Fort, there was an area that simulated a farm with overgrown kugon grasses. Well, at first it seemed to be a respite from the ugly scene but to our surprise, in the middle of the grassy area, a squatter home popped out and then as you look closer you will even see more of them. "No wonder they don’t cut the grass, they are hiding the pathetic sight," I said to myself. And what does our government do? They encourage it because if they do not, then why are they there? Such a sad phenomenon!

Then you enter The Fort and you find the opposite. Very clean, very organized, everyone follows the traffic rules. How can that happen? Don’t we have one government? I guess the treatment is different for the rich and for the poor. In the areas were the rich live, the traffic officers are more professional and they are on guard not of the criminals but of themselves. But in areas where middle class to poor people live, we are treated like animals, easily fooled, manipulated and misled.

I know The Fort is also operated by the government and supported by private groups (like the Ayalas in Makati and Alabang, the Aranetas in Cubao and the Ortigas’ in Greenhills and Ortigas Center) but why can’t we have the same kind of environment outside The Fort? Why can’t we have smooth pavements and sidewalks, well concreted and clean streets and highways, pruned tress, and beautiful landscapes? Why can’t our government make our cities look beautiful and appealing not only for the foreigners but more so for its people?

The Fort reminds me of the "walled city" of Intramuros. During the Spanish period only the Spaniards and the rich Filipinos were allowed to live in there and the poor or the Indios live outside the walled city. What a coincidence, history indeed, repeats itself.

Is this the fault of the Filipino people or is the government the one to be blamed? I believe that any person once given a prepared environment, one that is beautiful, clean, organized, complete and functional will be conditioned to take care of his or her environment. If The Fort, a big city can be developed, why can’t San Juan, Makati, Pasig, Pasay, Manila, Quezon City and the rest of the cities in the metropolis do the same? Sure you have areas in every city that are well maintained specially the subdivisions of the rich and commercial centers but what about the rest of the municipality? Your sidewalks are cracked and are very dirty, your canals are smelly, there are so many squatters at the back parts – you think we don’t see them? Why keep them there? Are you keeping them for election purposes to cast you a vote? Every municipal seems to have many of these colonies. Obviously, when you see the squatters, you ask yourself, "what is the mayor doing? Why is he or she keeping them there?" Hmmmm! Such a mystery.

For once, can’t you make us enjoy our own country instead of making us feel depressed each time we leave our homes? Kakahiya naman what is there to be proud of, sure you may have big mansions and nice cars but when you step out of your homes, all you see is misery. And to say that you are a mayor of so and so, makes you proud? You should be ashamed of yourselves?

I know it is a Monday morning and here I go again, bickering and bashing... I tell you I won’t stop until I see our nation move toward progress. If Japan after World War II was able to reconstruct itself, Singapore from a very dirty country was able to rehabilitate itself to being the cleanest country in Asia, Korea, Vietnam and China from being backward and now so modern were all able to make changes – why can’t we?