Ben Contreras TALK of Singapore and the name Lee Kuan Yew comes to mind. Talk of the man, and people will tell you how he made Singapore what this tiny nation is today. So much has been said of the man but it was only months ago when I decided to ask my brother Wilson to get me this book about him. Being fascinated was not enough reason to spend enough time to read it completely. In fact, I was able to finished only less than a hundred pages of the more than 600 pages. While enjoying the clear water of the beach of Opol at Apple Tree Resort and Hotel, I and my friend Rene Sia talked of politics in the country and the candidates running for President. Mr. Sia mentioned about Singapore and Lee Kuan Yew. Then it occurred to me what Duterte said, “I cannot do it alone.” Indeed, Duterte cannot do it alone. Change is not a one-man job. It is only possible if we, the people, also change. How do we do that? How can we do that? Where do we start? Hmmm, maybe, we can start with the youth! If you love to read books, and your age is between 12 and 15 (high school student), I would like to invite you to my place at RER Drive Subdivision, Phase – I, Pedro Neri St., Cagayan de Oro City for a reading session on the book “From Third World to First – Lee Kuan Yew.” Each participant will be accorded a certain amount of time to read the book for the group and after that, a discussion about what has just been read, and possible lessons to be learned from it. We will start with a small group of about 15 plus one (me). We start at 8 pm (after dinner) and end at 11 pm, depending on what the group wants. My number is 0917 7121261. Text to me your complete name, gender, age and home address. Include your contact number, too. When we reach the number, you will all be notified on the schedule. I will provide the snack but will not stop anymore from bringing something for our snacks. Let the real change begins. Now!
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The concreting of the road from a certain point in Lumbia to the hinterlands is a laudable project of Mayor Oscar S. Moreno. It is a promise kept. It is said to be funded by the Department of Agriculture with participation from the city government. However, this is not just about fulfilling one’s promises. This is also about the quality of the project, it being funded by people’s taxes. A friend who lives there invited me to see for myself how the concrete road has started to crack. So, we went there, and found the concrete road cracking. The cracks were visibly applied with substance (glue) to prevent water from seeping in and weakening the soil base foundation. Notable also is the shape of the road, one lane of which seems to be a bit sliding to its side. The Department of Agriculture needs to see and investigate it, and come up with a clear statement on whether the concreting was done in accordance to specifications. The cracks led us to suspect that the cement mixture could be substandard, and the compacting of the soil base was not enough. If this is not investigated, the end result, especially during rainy season, could be worse than it originally was. A portion that looks old is already full of cracks. It’s a wonder why they were not replaced altogether.