An Ayala-Hipodromo-Cebu City master plan

The day when typhoon Ruby was forecast to hit Southern Cebu, I drove my old Volkswagen Beetle thru some parts of our city hoping to observe what people were doing in their supposed frenzied preparation for the worst. After I came out of Barangay Hipodromo, I could visualize a realizable future for the residents of Hipodromo, the City of Cebu, and the Ayala conglomerate, however order one views it. I have no schizophrenic tendencies at all but really, the situation with what I thought to have seen had Archimedes in its context when he discovered buoyancy and ran about town naked while shouting Eureka! Of course, you know what I mean.

Here are some facts. Number 1. Barangay Hipodromo is a small village that may have so reached its full potential that it cannot be developed further. Its area is just about half the size of the Cebu Business Center.  But it is home to more than ten thousand residents. The land areas of the residences in Hipodromo are small and if I may say it without offending the people there, they are just a little bigger compared to the small subdivision cuts of socialized housing sites. In fact, common walls serve as partitions to many families living in the barangay.

The circumferential road that serves as the main artery of this barangay used to be race tract oval for horses. That's where it got its name. Mindful that it is extremely difficult for vehicles to meet on this main road, traffic authorities make it a one-way avenue. But, when residents park their vehicles on the road, the situation gets guffawed, to use a positive description.

Number 2. The city, limited more by the acreage of Hipodromo, cannot do much to improve this barangay. It is unable to give a spacious and sanitary market. There is no available area left for an ideal park and promenade where trees can be grown and people can take a walk on. With an ever-increasing student population, the school campus is getting cramped and the city cannot find a space to expand. Because it is impossible to widen the road, the regular road asphalting the city is doing is but a band-aid type of a measure.

Number 3. This barangay is adjacent to the Cebu Business Center, the flagship Ayala investment in our city. The Ayala moguls must have something in their mind when they put up high walls to keep the barangay from their view. If the Cebu Business Center could only expand its area up to M. J. Cuenco Avenue, it certainly is poised to undertake more ambitious development.  It is, thus, not improbable that they wish to own the entire landmass of the barangay.

Number 4. Ayala has a non-performing asset high up in the mountain villages of Pung-ol Sibugay and Sirao. Years ago, it developed what it dreamed of as a high-end subdivision. But, when the completion of the project neared, some portions of the approaching highway caved-in. I saw the length of about a 100 meters depress to some ten feet. Understandably, the company's sales projection fell. 

The ideal situation that can be worked out by juxtaposing those facts is to create a new Barangay Hipodromo where the Ayala Heights is located. At the top of the agenda is to provide Hipodromo people with bigger home lots than what they presently have. The business giant may provide the initial structures to free the relocating Hipodromo residents the burden of construction. When they are provided with an ideal living community complete with modern amenities, they may agree to allow Ayala to take over the present Hipodromo.

This objective is very intricate. There are delicate issues to address. The extreme ends of the parties, most of the time contradicting, have to be reconciled. However, considering that it has the capacity to satisfy the ends of all concerned, it is, after relentless efforts, reachable.

The administration of his Honor, Cebu City Mayor Michael L. Rama, must initiate the study. He has to tap all the available minds in the city's employ and experts outside of the city's pool. When he is ready, let him explain to and get the support of the otherwise less-friendly city council and with that being done, he shall provide the proverbial good office for Ayala and responsible Hipodromo officials and residents. I believe that in the end, Archimedes will have looked down from where he is and smile that buoyancy is not just all water.

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