Traffic jams caused by dilapidated PUVs!

It seems that the whirlwind that surrounded the construction of the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) have died out perhaps because Gov. Gwen Garcia relentlessly cracked the whip on the contractor to assure that this new pride of Cebu would be finished and used for the 12th ASEAN Leaders' Summit. I guess the howl especially in the media stemmed from the self-imposed deadline made by Archt. Manuel Guanzon, even to the point of betting that he would finish the CICC on Nov.15th, weeks before the ASEAN Summit kicks off. The CICC will be blessed this Friday, but while Archt. Guanzon can get all the accolades for a job well done, he was bloodied in the process.

Last Monday, the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) quietly blessed the newly constructed VIP Lounge where all the ASEAN Leaders would be received by Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA), except for the Singaporean Prime Minister whom I heard would only take a commercial flight to Cebu.

While the firestorm that raged about the CICC was brewing, no one would believe that the VIP Lounge was not yet even constructed. All told, this government facility was completed in just 87 working days, proof that government infrastructure can be finished in record time, from its bidding process to its blessing. Perhaps one of the reasons why this edifice was completed on schedule was that, there was no unnecessary media noise criticizing it while construction was in progress. Kudos to newly appointed MCIAA General Manager Danilo Francia and the team led by Airport Operations Manager Romy Bersonda for doing what no one believed they could do!

It's just five days to go before all the ASEAN Leaders would be dropping by Cebu. It is time for Cebuanos to put our best foot forward and prepare ourselves as we would all do if we are holding a party in our own house. Perhaps on a final note, the police, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) or the Land Transportation Regulatory and Franchising Board (LTFRB) completely forgot the most important element for public transportation operators - their vehicles must be roadworthy.

Just the other day, I saw three taxicabs and four jeepneys stalled in the middle of the road; two had flat tires, while the others had engine problems. What good is it when we have widened our roads, only to suffer traffic jam because a damn jeepney occupied one lane because of a flat tire? At this point, I don't think it is too late to have jeepneys or taxis inspected (especially those that run on bald tires) and prevent them from running our roads unless they are considered road worthy. If you ask me, this is where LTFRB failed miserably!

The problem really is that, the LTFRB only certifies its roadworthiness when the vehicle is supposedly under inspection upon the renewal of its license. With corruption still prevalent especially with the LTFRB, for a few hundred pesos, I doubt if the LTFRB inspectors would even give the jeepney a second look much less thoroughly inspect a public utility vehicle. I dare say that it is time to crack the whip on LTFRB because the effects of its corruption are showing up on our roads. The problem that continues to plague this country is that, government only reacts when someone gets killed during an accident. With the ASEAN Summit a few days away, cracking the whip on those dilapidated vehicles or rolling coffins is the right thing to do! A narrow road is just as good for as long as no one is parking illegally on its sides or there's no broken PUV blocking the road. I believe this was grossly overlooked by the organizers.

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The ASEAN Business Summit reels off tomorrow at the Waterfront Hotel. This is hosted by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) the umbrella business organization where all Philippine Chambers are members, which means that this is a Philippine-wide, not just a Cebu-only event. Expected to come are business leaders from ASEAN countries who want to push forward their respective industry agendas and hope that the Philippines as chair of the ASEAN Summit would adopt them.

I read in the business page of the Philippine Star that there are seven documents to be signed during the ASEAN Summit. One of them is the ASEAN MRA on Nursing Services, where there would be an exchange of information, expertise on standards and qualifications, the adoption of best practices and training would become ASEAN-wide.

Nurses should have an ASEAN-wide wage or salary scale. This the only way that Filipino nurses can be motivated to stay home and not seek jobs abroad. The problem is, Congress doesn't really care to help as they are helping only themselves to their respective pork barrels. Helping the nurses get better salaries is actually helping our nation from the bad effects of brain drain!