Please don't cry for Cebu's zero infra

For our special presentation on our Talkshow on Straight from the Sky we bring you what you need to know about MEGA Cebu. We've already written in this corner about MEGA Cebu…and asked the poignant question whether they could provide that road map to a better planned Cebu…and above all, have it implemented…in our lifetime? All I can say about MEGA Cebu up to this time is…at least they are there doing things for Cebu; and by this I mean we have "warm bodies" setting up committees to map and plan out what the future of MEGA Cebu should be like in, say, 20 years.

Since the "eviction" of the conjugal Marcos Dictatorship during the People's Revolt in EDSA, Cebu improved quite a bit, because of the return of the Osmeña political clan. But when the Osmeña siblings started to quarrel over the leadership of Cebu…we started to suffer from lack of infrastructure. When then Mayor Tomas Osmeña got the upper hand…he ruled Cebu with his political monolith the Bando Osmeña Pundok-Kauswagan then we had the Metro Cebu Development Projects. The rest is history.

But times have changed, so tonight we have the MEGA Cebu with Mr. Gordon Alan Joseph, interim chairman of the Metro Cebu Development & Coordinating Board, Research Program & Organizational Development; Mr. Ruben "Bing" Martinez,interim chairman for MCDCB-RPOD Focus Area Based on Committee on Integrated Planning; and Mrs. Evelyn Nacario-Castro of the Program Management Office. So watch this very interesting show on SkyCable's channel 61 at 8:00 PM with replays on Wednesday and Saturday while there are replays on MyTV channel 30 at 9:00 PM M-W-F.

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I had an emailed reaction to my Sept.19thThursday column about the traffic problems in and around Camp Lapu-Lapu coming from Engr. Fortunato Sanchez, Chair of the MCDCB Sub-committee on Infrastructure and Utilities. Since it is quite lengthy, I will quote only the vital parts.

"Hi Sir Bobit, This is in response to a statement in your column, I suggest that we bring this matter to the folks handling MEGA Cebu to truly plan a new road network in the surrounding areas that would help ease traffic congestion in the Banilad Road. As chair of the MCDCB Subcom on Infrastructure and Utilities, I am providing you some updates and answers.

Back in August 2007 Dr. Primitivo Cal, one of the top transportation and traffic engineers in the Philippines, submitted a 40-page study titled 'Gov. Cuenco Traffic Engineering Study' to decongest traffic along Ban Tal Road, the study recommended to build flared intersections at the Mahiga and A. S. Fortuna intersections crossing Gov. Cuenco Ave. and to simultaneously widen part of H. Cortes St. as Phase I.

In a DPWH Memo no.16 dated Feb.14, 2013 H. Cortes has been converted to a national road. With this development MCDCB recommended to widen this street in its 2013 Project List. But in August 13, 2013 Project List for 2014 presentation by DPWH to the MCDCB Full Board, the widening of H. Cortes wasn't included. Sadly, none of the 36 projects recommended by the MCDCB despite its approval by the Execom and the RDC Execom was approved by the DPWH.

The 18 widening projects recommended by DPWH Region 7 was reduced to five, including that of the BanTal Road. The road opening from V. Rama to Gorordo, Lahug also recommended by DPWH-7 and RDC-IDC in its last meeting was not approved. In replacement for the disapproved projects, more than 40 asphalt overlay projects have been approved presumably in preparation for the APEC Summit in 2015."

Thank you Engr. Sanchez for this thorough report. As what I said exactly…what's the point for MEGA Cebu to exist when this highly bureaucratic and centralized government shuts down projects approved by the DPWH in Region 7 and the Regional Development Council?

The V. Rama to Gorordo Ave. road opening is what I've always called the Parallel Road to the already clogged Escario St. This project was started during the time of former mayor Alvin Garcia…and until now, it has never taken off. But during Garcia's time…traffic in Escario St. was still tolerable. But we needed that Parallel Road to Escario St. yesterday!

I hate to say this…but it's been more than three years since Cebu starved for a major infrastructure project under the government of Pres. Benigno "PNoy" Aquino, III. During the 2010 Presidential elections when I interviewed presidential bet Gilbert "GiboTeodoro Jr. and told him the necessity of that Parallel Road, he told me that would be the first thing he would approve for Cebu if he was elected president. Sayang Cebuanos voted for Pres. PNoy and now Cebu's infrastructure development has been totally neglected. Please don't cry for Cebu, it's our fault for voting the wrong guy.

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