A challenge to the city's opposition

When we have an opportunity, let us take a long and critical look at the road map of Cebu City, and compare the overview appearance of our place with the best in the world. It will not be difficult to realize, quite sadly, that our city is, at best, not a product of careful planning. In our feeble attempt to justify the inexplicable maze of our narrow streets, we can only let go of a rather subdued rationalization – Cebu City must have grown without our past leaders’ having the chance to plan it.

I am almost certain that the power wielders of long ago did not easily have on hand learned people in the art (is it a science?) of urban planning which is a relatively new profession. These trained professionals could have helped our leaders carve out a city with aesthetic physical attributes. But for sure, the exponential population growth of our city brought about by the migration of people from the provinces, overwhelmed even their most elementary ideas of development, let alone their forward visionary thoughts.

Take for example, the few wide avenues of the city. These are supposed both to mark the perimeter of the city and serve as its central access. If the city were a picture, these roads are designed to function as the frame. Yet, they do not appear to be laid out for those very objectives. San Jose de la Montana (now Juan Luan Avenue) is constructed far away from the city’s boundary with the neighboring Mandaue City. Archbishop Reyes Avenue cannot be logically configured in relation to Gorordo Avenue. And C. Padilla Street, in the south, does not seem to maximize its utility.

Having said that, we can only conclude that our city streets need to be reinvented. We may have no more time to do that for the present inhabitants to enjoy, but surely, better road networks are what the future population needs. Efficient urban traffic which next generation business augurs has to be anticipated. The demands of environment-friendly living shall also be considered.

Yes, when I express the necessity to re-plan the physical lay-out of the city streets, I am talking of only an aspect of governance. The task ahead is humongous, and the subject of this write up today is but a little phase of future administrations. Be that as it may, I still submit that this has to be done by men and women of our choice sooner than later.

This must form part of an over-all plan the opposition shall set itself out to accomplish, if it wants to be treated a viable alternative. To put a dire contrast to the present breed of robots who only await for the orders of their supremo, the opposition has the duty to show to us that they are a bunch of independent and imaginative leaders who plan ahead and then buckle down to the task of upholding the interest of the greater mass while resisting dancing to the tunes of few vested interests. Of course, in the democratic clash of ideas, they shall be willing to listen to opposing views and take the heat of those who may be adversely affected by any ambitious even if radical thoughts.

The most opportune time is fast approaching. For us residents in the city to determine whether the opposition is capable of presenting an alternative to the incumbents, the following few months will be crucial.

My wishes are simple. During the campaign period, I hope to hear from the opposition what they intend to do when elected. Specifically, what I would like to listen to and vote for is the commitment to plan the city for the future. Its vision must be in comprehensible language, not motherhood statements. Like what will their candidates do with the narrow city streets many of them leading to dead ends? How may roads be restructured to promote a faster flow of traffic? Or for that matter, what do they intend to do to upgrade the kind of canals that were made for the use of residents half a century ago? May the opposition rise to the occasion!

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