A penny for wishful thoughts - II

Speaking of infra-projects, they are not confined only to vertical works, say, buildings and rehab of classrooms. They also comprise horizontal programs, like, widening of narrow streets and barangay roads, as well as the components of the drainage system, like, restoration and deepening of canals, laying needed culverts, and building embankments along water outlets.

 For instance, the 6.5 hectares of the Paknaan housing relocation site need an effective drainage system and, an embankment or levee along Butuanon River, and to block incursion of sea water on the affected side of the fishpond. The concrete levee has to contend the river’s overflow.

 For quite sometime now, the accommodation problem of the Mandaue City College, as well as inadequate comfort rooms and MCWD water supply, have to be addressed, including the water needs of such comfort rooms and its piping and fittings. It’s a shame that many students have to relieve themselves anywhere else; and, when there’s an affair held at the Sports Complex auditorium, the toilet water facilities are sadly wanting, and reeking with bad smell. Thus, the plan of the Philippine Mangoes Association to hold its national convention thereat, may hit a snag.

 One national entity that often begs for financial help from the local government – since only a trickle seeps down the field offices – is the Department of Education (DepEd). While the present Special Education Fund (SEF) has reached over P100 M annually, the SEF alone may not suffice without the general funds from Mandaue City. For instance, the SEF-fully-supported public school teachers, numbering 60 or so depends on the SEF whose salaries, allowances, and other emoluments are equal to what the nationally-funded teachers and personnel receive, unlike in most LGUs. Moreover, the yearly increase in enrolment of about 10 percent, demands, bigger budget for more new teachers, classrooms, and incremental expenses. In fact, building new classrooms and rehab of old ones are mostly dependent on the SEF, and on the local government’s general funds.

 The modern public market is now in operation at the “cost” of the vendors’ insistent demand for free entry to PUJs and tricycles. This aggravates the heavy traffic along Ouano (?) Avenue and Andres Soriano Avenue crossings. Internal operations need improvements, but Market Administrator Moussolini Soliva appears equal to the task. The good news is the vendors’ sales are satisfactorily brisk.

 Speaking of heavy traffic as Mandaue’s serious headache, traffic gridlocks are along the Briones Hi-way to Basak from 7:00 am until 9:00 pm, and the interior narrow roads; the Soriano and Ouano(?) Avenues’ traffic gridlock gets aggravated, also the H. Cortes Street stalemate, plus the busy A.C. Cortes Avenue and the U.N. Avenue. Thus, elevated streets, say, “over-passes” and “fly-overs” are indispensable as alternate routes.

 With all these inadequacies, Mayor Jonas C. Cortes is hard pressed for ultimate solutions which may not be immediately forthcoming. For example, the various units of infra-heavy equipment long-requested for purchase may still need more heavy-equipment units with expert operators, and dump trucks. The more bureaucratic and highly expensive “overpasses” and “fly-overs” that need fiscal assistance from the DPWH and other national agencies may not be available pronto.

Unfortunately, in terms of traffic gridlocks and the need for elevated alternate motor vehicle routes, Mandaue City is “sandwiched” between Cebu City and Lapulapu City, not to speak of those coming from the entire Cebu North. Hence, Mandaue City literally is at the “cross-roads”, with the enormous incidental problems as center or virtual “eye of the storm.”