Where did GMR-Megawide money go?
I am asking the leaders in the tourism industry to go all out against the proposed increase of terminal fees at the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority because of their flimsy excuse that it is for infrastructure development. We Cebuanos know too well that the consortium called GMR-Megawide plunked in P14.6 billion, which was paid to the Department of Transportation and Communications. Is DOTC telling us that not a single centavo of that money for the MCIAA terminal will not be given or returned back to Cebu?
In my book, the MCIAA Board has totally failed to help Cebu at least retain some of that money for our own use or at least return part of that money to be used for our airport facilities in Mactan. The reason why the MCIAA (and the Cebu Port Authority for that matter was created by special law during the time of Sen. John "Sonny" Osmeña and Rep. Raul del Mar was to protect the interest of Cebuanos.
But instead of protecting the interest of Cebuanos, the MCIAA goes into the motion of holding a public hearing, but in truth, their minds are made up already. And soon, they will be increasing the terminal fees, making the Mactan Airport the most expensive airport to visit in the Philippines! Where are our Tourism organizations? Their silence is deafening!
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Because of the worsening traffic conditions in Metro Manila and we can also observe that it is now affecting us in Metro Cebu. Malacañang and many businessmen tried to downplay this problem, saying that this is proof of the nation's economic growth. This is how the Aquino regime trying to hide its incompetence by blaming other factors that cause traffic congestion, instead they close their eyes to the real cause of traffic congestion.
The subject of congestion was presented as a major story in yesterday's BusinessWorld entitled "Congestion raises risk of slowing growth." The BusinessWorld quoted Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balicasan saying "There is no question that port congestion and traffic problems, if left unattended would slow down economic growth and exert upward pressure on prices. Metro Manila and neighboring areas account for over half of the country's Gross Domestic Product."
What about here in Metro Cebu? Our traffic problems are following the same exact path as Metro Manila simply because our national planning is highly centralized due to our current centralized form of government system. A case in point is A.S. Fortuna Ave. in Mandaue City. If only the Office of the Building Official in Mandaue City strictly observed the parking requirements in the National Building Code then the new business establishments sprouting up in Mandaue City would be forced to have clearly defined parking slots for each building. But is this being followed?
But because Mandaue City did not obey the mandate given by the Metro Cebu Development Projects 1 and 11, where the roadsides of A.S. Fortuna should be a "no-parking" zone; this is the very reason why A.S. Fortuna Ave. is heavily congested. Just stand in the middle of A.S. Fortuna and you will see that the roadway that was widened in the Mid-90's has been constricted by vehicles, which the City of Mandaue turned into pay parking bay.
If Mayor Jonas Cortes is serious in this effort to solve the traffic congestion in Mandaue City, he should stop using A.S. Fortuna Ave. as a pay parking area.
Obviously Mayor Jonas Cortes is only thinking of the money Mandaue City can make from the proceeds of the parking vehicles. But it is the principal reason why this road is heavily congested. In short, solving the traffic woes in A.S. Fortuna Ave. can be solved by the mayor if he has the political will to solve it.
In Cebu City, our major traffic issues are focused on the snail's pace road widening done by the Department of Public Works and Highways, which I already wrote yesterday that we Cebuanos cannot fix our own problems but instead suffer in silence! This should not be the case. We should tell DPWH that we are indignant with the slow work they are doing especially in M. Velez St. and that new road widening in the Banilad-Talamban road. Why can't DPWH speed up their work and work even on Sundays and holidays? If they cannot do it faster, let us withhold their salaries!
Finally, let me point out to Mayor Michael Rama that there are two establishments in Cebu City that are undergoing a massive renovation by increasing size but not the parking requirements. I am referring to a high-end drinking joint along the Ban-Tal road and a coffee shop right beside the One Mango complex. Why are these establishments allowed to renovate without a single parking space? Who issued business permit to these establishments?
Did someone pay under the table?
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