Water village in flooded areas?

I’m amused by the headlines in Banat News issues of long ago as reviewed by Judelyn “J.O.” Saavedra in her daily column “Plasbak” or, yes, flashback, in Banat News.

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 One headline says: “Kasal wala madayon tungod kay hugaw ang sudlay.” (The wedding did not push through because the comb was dirty.)

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 Another headline says: “Pari gitanyagan og ‘short time’ sa Junquera.” (A priest was offered a woman for sex in Junquera.) My take: Don’t fault the pimp. Blame the priest for not wearing the priestly garb.

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 Another head that had me shaking my head silly: “Nagkayo, napaig, samtang naghilawas.” (Sex generated much heat it caused self-imolation?)

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 And look at this headline: “$500 multa sa lalaking di maligo.” (A man who doesn’t take a bath is fined $500.)

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 The stories behind these headlines are all true although a wee bit sensationalized in keeping with the tabloid style of reporting.

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 The residents of some villages in Bulacan and Pampanga do not know what to do with the waist-deep floodwaters that won’t go away. There are suggestions that they build houses on stilts and buy motorboats instead of cars.

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 It sounds far-fetched — improbable? — but they did it in Brunei years and years ago. The Kampong Ayer or Water Village in Bandar Seri Begawan is a community of houses built above water. The houses are no small deals, they’re big houses, well furnished, complete with piped water, electricity, etc.

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 The residents have cars, not motorboats, which they just park on land adjacent to their houses. The residents move in and out of the Water Village through motorized boats they call “water taxis.”

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 I’m not saying a Water Village like Brunei’s Kampong Ayer be built in Bulacan and Pampanga. This, as I said earlier, is far-fetched. But it can be thought of or even be tried.

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 E-mail from Nor Lucindo: “From the tattoo on her legs what can you say about this girl Ruby?” (My say: Hehehe.)

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 A phone call from Mrs. Mercedes Pueo (I hope I spelled the second name right): “Mr. Jabat please tell me if I am right. The Gotiaoco building (see photo on TF page 6) is the first building in Cebu with an elevator.” I’ve been told that. I’ll verify, Ma’am.

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 I had a sidewalk talk with Andres (I didn’t ask for his family name, it was of no moment), a vegetable farmer from a southern town. Among other things he said: Maayo mo dinhi sa siyudad naa nay karsada nangita pa gyud laing karsada ibabaw sa karsada nga plastada na. Didtos amoa, wa’y kukarsada wa may nanaglalis. Apan, Sir, diba mas maayo unta kon iapil sad mi sa inyong gihisgutan nga karsada. Bisan di lang halapad ug bisan di lang parsada ibabaw sa laing karsada?