Where’s everyone?

Ben  Contreras /

IT’S not about tinted cars that make it difficult to drive at night especially when it’s raining. It’s about lack of street lamps and too much motorelas and trisikads that force some motorists to drive unnecessarily slow. This is the situation in Puerto, Bugo, Tablon and Agusan.

If one is not cautious enough, chances are, one might hit a pedestrian trying to cross the highway without knowing it.

Why the absence of street lamps? Whose responsibility is it? Is it the DPWH or the LGU?

There have been a few fatal road accidents lately involving cars, pedestrians, motorcycle riders, passengers, and trucks against smaller vehicles. That should have merited immediate action. But we aren’t seeing any. While there’s money for road repairs and diggings, there’s been none for street lamps. Why? Why? Why? We wait for the next accident to happen. Is that it?

Trucks seem to be allowed to make use of the highway’s third lane as parking space. If a motorist is in a hurry and drives fast on a rainy evening, pray it won’t ram into a parked truck. It happened many times before and will continue to happen if we do nothing.

What happened to “Hapsay Highway”? Nabugnaw na? City hall has been cooking a lot of gimmicks to show it’s working but without sustaining them. Init sa pagsugod apan dali ra mabugnaw. That shows lack of sincerity, I guess.

Who was that who complained about our traffic lights? Now you see it functioning, now you don’t. I wonder if the contractor has completed his job and has been fully paid. Collecting must have been difficult, made more difficult if there are enterprising people at the releasing end.

I suspect a new supplier may have been commissioned to do the job. The old proponent may no longer have anything to share. Like our “basurahan” or dump site. The then mayor Tinnex Jaraula bought a piece of land for that purpose. The city government opted to buy a new one somewhere else. Why? Was it for the commission? Or, perhaps, overpriced?

Where is the opposition in the city council? Where are those who were noisy during the elections? Why are they very silent now? Ha! There is honor among thieves, kuno. I wish we’ll have the next elections tomorrow so we could see them throw garbage at each other. It can be very educating, you know.

It looks like Councilor Leon Gan has become a one-man army. Or is he fighting on someone’s behalf?

We’re drowned by the sound of silence. Where are the advocates who noisily raised their voices against PDAF? Where are the Church and church people? Oh, yes, asa na ang mga taga Save CDO Movement after a few of them left the group? Kinsa gani to sila? They who connived to ease a few of us in a surprise election at Minindal? That very evening, before the meeting started, I asked for clarification if Save CDO Movement is an advocate for honest governance. Yes, the majority affirmed, the majority who are now with the new lord of city hall. Have you got what you wanted, guys? I bet you did. Otherwise, kulang siguro mo musipsip.

One day, some people will rise up to fight a battle like you did before. Don’t make the mistake that “gamay ra sila.”