Talamban-Pit-os Road and EDSA

The most impressive among the post cards are those that highlight the dynamism of cities worldwide. The singing group called Bread, was right to claim that a picture paints a thousand words. There is no doubt that photos of high rise buildings housing transnational corporate centers, of massive structures sheltering spell binding cultural advances, of awesome facilities developed from most modern technologies and of sprawling parks and glittering entertainment domes tell an unbelievable lot. For instance, a colored image of the Empire State, on hand, is so electric it pushes us to want to visit it and walk our way to its top floor. There is an inexplicable sensation when one sees the photograph of a brand new Mag-Lev cruising thru German cities at incredible speeds as to make us desire riding in one. Kuala Lumpur continues to rake in its large share of tourists with the Petronas Twin Towers serving as our irresistible beacon.

A post card with a great lay out is a masterful marketing tool. It speaks quickly and more persuasively than attractive advertisement in magazine pages. In a fast-paced competition for investment portfolios, a post card is arguably, the least expensive yet most effective getter of the attention of the moneyed.

I am glad that the administration of His Excellency, President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III, is bent on beating the aesthetic presentation of the best available post cards. By embarking on the massive infrastructure project to convert the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, EDSA, to most of us, world class, the president demonstrates his direction of producing a photograph of a highway that should be better than most American freeways. After all, this highway is the main artery connecting the local government units that serve as the show window of our country.

In the last few days, we have been seeing the interviews of the moguls of both the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. Speaking before television cameras, everyone is hyped about this visionary project. They are upbeat in making EDSA an enviable highway to attract the imagination of foreign funders and to serve smoothly Metro Manila travelers. In their public relations binge, they seem to remind me that great leaders are indeed, dealers of hope.   

Stripped to its barest, the flow of the apparent governmental monologue is to assure us that this administration is addressing the infrastructure needs to complement our newly found economic surge. Wow, huh! We have to do this great plan if we must prop the “rising tiger” image we have lately been accorded with.

Yet, somewhere in the declarations made by public works officials is the revelation that government is earmarking more than four billion pesos just to spruce up the EDSA and not to make a new road. It is a new budgetary allocation in addition to the billions of pesos spent for the repairs of bridges in Metro Manila last year. With my memory not failing me, I could sum the expenditures by the national government  for Metro Manila infrastructure last year and this year at close to P6 billion.

It is therefore unmistakable to note that among the biggest portions of national fund allocations are focused on Metro Manila. The present administration seems to forget, if not disregard, the needs of other regions, like Region 7.  â€œKapagka swerte sa mga Tagalog.”

Allow me to cite a specific contrast. The widening of the Talamban-Pit-os road is long overdue. When His Honor, Mayor Michael Rama assumed the city hall helm, he was convinced that Cebu City, had to undertake this project. But the amount needed was so huge that taking it from its funds would adversely affect the city’s capability to deliver other basic services.  It had to wait for better times. Or wait for manna from national government which did not come.

The city has finally spared P140 million plus. It is a big slice from our local budget. We Cebuanos pay. Metro Manilans do not share in this burden.  By comparison to the P4 billion plus EDSA project, our cost for the Talamban-Pit-os road is a pittance. But, what is very painful is that we Cebuanos, also pay for the EDSA beautification.  Is it fair?