‘We will force them’

After trying to find ways and means to arrive at a compromise, hosting a series of “town hall meetings” and consultation with various street leaders and coming up with a Green Bridge – BRT (Bus Rapid Transit system) solution, the homeowners of Barrio Kapitolyo in Pasig City may find their conciliatory efforts to have been nothing but a waste of time and money.

It turns out that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has decided to go ahead with the Sta. Monica/Lawton Bridge as they originally planned and designed. When reminded of the very strong and vocal opposition of Barrio Kapitolyo residents to their project “as is,” one independent source present at the meeting before Christmas claims that a high ranking DPWH official responded by saying: “We will force them to accept the project.”

When asked what about the suggestion that the proposed bridge be turned into a “Green Bridge” strictly for BRT, bikers and pedestrians only, the DPWH official reportedly said that they might consider it at a later time once the bridge is operational. As Heneral Luna put it, that would make us no less than virginal idiots still believing in the promises of a prostitute! I am also reminded of the words of the modern day astrologist Linda Goodman who once said “While they may not all be thieves, they are all liars.”

Meanwhile, Barrio Kapitolyo has become such an investment magnet for developers and entrepreneurs in the last two years attracting companies such as Rockwell and DMCI, numerous upmarket restaurants and shops as well as the famous “Unimart” that will soon be opening alongside the intended route of the DPWH Bridge from Hell. So far the property developers have been continuously marketing their projects so one has to wonder if we now have a high stakes game of “chicken” or “stare-down” where the group that blinks loses.

Apparently none of these seems to catch the attention of the project managers who have reportedly bid out consultancy services for the project. The only new angle now being fanned by the DPWH officials is that the project is a necessity in order to have a diversionary route for the traffic on EDSA once the DPWH undertakes rehabilitation work on the Guadalupe Bridge. This is really interesting since nothing was ever said about the Guadalupe Bridge until the 2015 SONA of President Noynoy. Suddenly the DPWH is connecting two projects as if to validate and create a sense of urgency.

The question is, are there dated, documented studies that will hold up under investigation by Congress or the Office of the Ombudsman to prove that the DPWH has long been planning on rehabilitating the Guadalupe Bridge and that the Sta. Monica/Lawton Bridge came about as part of the plan? If so, do the engineers and planners at the DPWH even know what they’re doing? How and why would you divert traffic from a six-lane highway into a two-lane bridge and squeeze it through to the Ortigas business district along roads which are already in constant gridlock.

Quite frankly someone is lying through their teeth just to get the project off the ground. The other question is why does the DPWH reject the green bridge/ BRT solution when even the DOTC agrees that the Bus Rapid Transit system is what we need in Metro Manila until we get our Mass Transit System sorted out? Is this part of someone’s contempt for another’s incompetence?

From what I learned, the NEDA Board will be meeting sometime this month to review the proposed EDSA – BGC (Bonifacio Global City) BRT program which is suppose to include or consider the inclusion of a BRT system between the BGC and the Ortigas Business District. Leaders in Barrio Kapitolyo support an integrated BRT/Green Bridge and reject the traditional bridge – elevated roadway proposal of the DPWH.

Hopefully, the more level headed and far-sighted policy makers in the NEDA Board can call in the Cabinet Secretaries of the DOTC and the DPWH to find a happy compromise that makes sense. If not the NEDA should simply freeze the ball until the next administration, because the rush and forceful intent behind it all is beginning to smell of rotting fish.

Ultimately, the DPWH officials may also have to explain to the Office of the Ombudsman why they persist on pushing through with their multi-billion peso project instead of adopting one of two alternatives that would save taxpayers P1 to P2 billion if not more by building a BRT/Green Bridge or following the original suggestion for the bridge to go via Pasig Boulevard and not a “skyway” over Barrio Kapitolyo and Shaw Boulevard. One does not have to steal in order to be charged with graft, stupidity is oftentimes enough.

Under the leadership of Secretary Babes Singson, the DPWH earned applause and recognition for drastically reducing corruption in the department. That has apparently been cause for pride, and that is well deserved. Sadly pride of place should not go to the point of arrogance because that is a mortal sin when expressed or displayed by civil servants. Progress must be beneficial to people, communities, and the environment. Progress must also make sense and follow logic and never be about Force.

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Even after registering dangerous levels of air pollution right after the New Year’s fireworks, I found it curious that the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources never made his presence felt or issue a statement about the toxic levels or residues in the air. Given how the traditional fireworks almost always results in a man-made haze that has often delayed or diverted flights into Manila, one would think that the DENR would be alongside the efforts of the DOH to tone things down or at least remind people that their revelry could indirectly send people to hospitals or kill them.

With all sincerity I have been wondering whatever happened to Secretary Mon Paje? I know that I travelled a lot in 2015 but I never heard of changes in the DENR leadership, so what gives? I do hope he is fine and I do hope to hear more from the officials of the DENR particularly with growing concerns about air pollution.

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