Peter G. Jimenea, Hole of Justice
It resonates well with public belief that a good leader can deliver the services needed by constituents. With the unabated traffic congestion on city streets, the city residents believe that the construction of additional streets and bridges can curb this lingering mess.
Thus, the Drilon bridge linking Gen. Luna Street in City Proper, to Barangay Nabitasan, La Paz, Iloilo City. Motor vehicle owners need not pass anymore to the Iloilo Provincial Capitol and Forbes bridge in going to Jaro or La Paz, they may just cross Drilon bridge unto their destination.
The bridge, however, was constructed not in a usual straight forward design. Its entrance was moved to about 10 meters from the left side of Jalandoni street before crossing the river to Barangay Nabitasan, La Paz, to spare the hotel owned by the sister-in-law of then Mayor Jerry Trenas.
It could have been a beautiful legacy of Senator Franklin M. Drilon had it not for that hotel. But as the diverted portion of the road to the entrance of the bridge looks funny, it was later renamed from Drilon to Jalandoni bridge. What an absurd legacy!
Another stress to the heart is the construction of the 250 meters flyover in front of the UPV, Iloilo City, As far as this writer is concern, no national project can be constructed in urbanized cities without the nod of the local chief executive.
According to DPWH officials, a one-kilometer concrete two-lane road cost only P20M to P22M. But look, the 250 meters only flyover constructed in front of the UPV cost P420M. My God, the amount could have already been enough to construct another 21-kilometer concrete roads for the city.
Worse, months before election, another flyover was again constructed with the use of prefabricated materials at the facade of the University of San Agustin. It was only 300
meters long, yet, cost P330M of your money, my money or the taxpayers money!
It is widely believe that all big projects in the city are governed by a standard operating procedures or SOP, a percentage as share by local executives from the loot. The standard SOP is ten percent of the total project cost, enough to silence a local government official who always ask compensation for what he never lost!
The flyover projects of the national government in Iloilo City cannot push through without the go signal from the city mayor. With the enticing SOP for every project, this creates an impression without affirming the perception that the approval of the mayor is in exchange for …. you know what!
But that is not only what we are looking for. Look at the construction of that flyover in front of the University of San Agustin. If you happen to pass over it, you can feel what seems a crumbling of the prefabricated floor coupled by the trembling of your vehicle.
Worse, one who is descending to the northern exit of the flyover near the gate of the Iloilo City police station, could easily see that it is curving to the left portion of the street. It is not straight as how we expect it when being constructed. This is what happen when one prefers money than legacy.
Add to that is this hounding story of the Pavia Housing (Hao Shiao) Project of the city for its poor employees. Out of the 413 low-cost houses under the contract, not even a single unit was completely built. Worse, we pay P17,000 a day including holidays for interest alone of this loan for over a year, or a P24.7M with nothing in return.
This reinforced the widespread belief that the congressman of the Lone District of Iloilo City, is the most despised mayor this city ever had. The unprecedented waste of the taxpayers' money under his administration is injustice that cries to God for vengeance! The tragedy is not to go but having no one to remember you!
No comments:
Post a Comment