Connection denied

Even cabinet members of President “Noy” can’t explain why.

For more than a month now, regular commuters of the South Luzon Expressway and the STAR tollway have been wondering why the interconnection of the two tollways has not been opened to the public?

Employees at both ends of the tollway have privately confessed that the road has long been finished and is ready to welcome the hundreds of thousands of commuters and vehicles who have been wanting to by-pass the traffic ridden stretch under the jurisdiction of Calamba.

However, no one has explained why the opening or the interconnection is being INTENTIONALLY delayed. The public statements of those in-charge or connected to the system is that they are merely waiting for the go-signal of the toll regulatory board and the DPWH. But as far as the Batanguenos are concerned most of them are not buying this “press release”.

Some of our readers might recall a column I wrote over a year ago, where I wondered why so much money was being invested to put up businesses on a stretch of road that is technically about to lose at least 60 percent of its traffic. Just like in the movie “CARS”, history tells us that once “super highways” bypass towns and cities, chances are those locations will suffer an economic depression.

Yet, to our amazement, construction and investment kept going on. Instead of investing along the toll road, tons of money have gone into gasoline stations, drug stores, several bus terminals etc along the Calamba stretch. I could only surmise that the locals project that less traffic would create an opportunity to build up new commercial strips for the locals that would replace the commuter-based economy.

But if that’s the case, why then is the transition or the interconnection being delayed. Is it possible that some politicians and investors are secretly delaying the opening so that they can lock down or buy up the land along the new interconnection? Is the delay intended to buy more time and therefore more profit for existing business interests?

Will the “Interconnection” soon become the next white elephant or the highway equivalent of the NAIA 3 that took forever to resolve in court? With people growing impatient and awaiting results, this delay is almost like a black eye for the new administration.

If you can’t even open what’s already built, should we even expect this administration to build bigger and better things than Gloria?

*      *      *

If this next item were to have a title, I’d call it: The Courier rings twice!

I have recently waged “war” or a re-education campaign aimed at “couriers” and delivery people who come to the door and ring the doorbell not once but twice as if doing so would make me jump from the third floor down to the gate.

I am certain that many of the utilities and telecoms companies don’t even have any idea how badly they are represented by couriers because of the practice where couriers ask, even insist that the addressee personally sign a bill, a letter or some promo material. To top it off some of them even have the temerity to ask you for an ID.

In an age where many people have opted to live without, or can’t afford household help, the unnecessary disturbance and imposition on the addressee or residents therein is sufficient cause to irritate people.

Are we expected to run out to the door in our underwear, leave the baby on the floor, or stop a telephone conversation because the royal courier has arrived? And pray tell us what law or presidential decree requires citizens and customers to sign for each and every junk mail or bill?

I respect the need to sign for “registered mail”, official notices and actual parcels of value. But why should telcos, banks and utility companies require couriers to demand the addressee to sign for their junk mail?

Aside from the rude interruptions, corporate clients and community officials should consider the fact that such a requirement gives every “temporary’ delivery boy an opportunity to profile residents. It’s a chance to know who is at home or not, at what time, which house has pretty girls, or nasty old grumps like me!

While government and business are now moving towards non-contact transactions, why are corporate clients going along with the “signature required” policy. Why do we bother having mail boxes if couriers demand a face-to-face confrontation?

Incidentally, I hope managers and business leaders would take sometime to study the system they have created. Imagine a DSL provider wasting time, money, paper and envelope to send out a system-generated letter to customers to remind them about monthly payments.

 Because they don’t double check, they are not sure if it’s been paid or not, they then tell you that if you already paid to ignore their letter. They also tell you that because the letter is system generated the letter does not have to be signed by a company official, which is their way of preventing you from getting personal or suing the idiot!

In the meantime, they have contracted a company to send you a written example of their idiocy and have the temerity to demand that you sign for it.

Wouldn’t it have been faster and cheaper to simply see if the bill has been paid or send an email to the customer the same way the cell phone companies send out SMS? When it comes to computers and automation, no technology can overcome stupidity.

* * *

To contact us: [email protected]