Skywalking

I made a random survey among friends on how many use the skywalks that are placed in supposedly major thoroughfares of Cebu. Eight out of ten so far have told me they'd rather cross the street than go through the skywalk. Here are a few of their reasons:

"Hangak kaayo na ang pag-saka." (I have to catch my breath as I climb the stairs)

"Dili man na tiguwang-friendly atong mga skywalk." (It is not olg age-friendly)

"Ada kinsa gu'y mo saka nga mas dali ra man to ang mo labang." (It is quicker to cross the street).

"Mas kalas man ug oras ang mag-skywalk kay sa mo labang nalang. Ug madali ta, aw, dagan nalang." (It saves more time to cross than to use the skywalk. If one is in a hurry, he can just ran).

As there are causes for not using this facility, there are also those who find the skywalk helpful.

"Kining guwang-guwang na ta, di na ta ka dagan pag-ayo. Bisan hinay-hinay ta ug saka, makalabang ra man ta sa ngadto-ngadto." (Because I am already old, I can no longer ran fast so I'd rather use the skywalk no matter how slow my ascent because at least I will eventually reach the other end.)

"The skywalk was placed there for us to be safe from the fast running vehicles. If you noticed, most of them are placed in high-traffic areas. Our safety is its very purpose!"

"The skywalk is a good exercise avenue. It adds to my workout regimen."

Although my method of sampling is not utterly scientific considering my limited sample size, and my observation time may have been a biased period (as it was not a school day) one can question how many people are really skywalkers? Just a little ahead of my workplace, a skywalk was constructed. Its purpose evident. There are many children that cross the street and the road, being a highway is a high-traffic area.

Years ago, before a skywalk was constructed in this area, a barangay tanod would help the children and elderly across the street, trying to control the passing vehicles as they do. A pedestrian lane is present there and plastic blocks have been placed at the center of the street to ensure vehicles stay within their lanes.

When the skywalk was constructed, and deemed operational, the tanod no longer assisted people across the street. Instead, the pedestrians were directed towards the skywalk. However as months rolled, people resumed crossing the street beneath the skywalk and the tanods, out of necessity to ensure the public is safe, has to help the person across.

And this is not an alienated case. There are many similar situations all over Cebu. A skywalk costs three to four million to construct depending on the type of walkway design. It would be a waste of national funds if the skywalks are not used as intended.

In Cebu City, Congressman Raul del Mar has constructed around seven skywalks near the schools and main thoroughfares of the City. His intention is to prevent the running over of children that cross the streets everyday.

"Before there were at least one or two children hit by vehicles every month as they crossed the street." Congressman del Mar said when asked about his projects. "It is the intention to keep the public safe from harm." Commendably, Congressman del Mar also worked for the installation of fences to keep the pedestrians from the temptation of crossing the street directly by force of habit instead of favoring the safer route of the skywalk.

To get a budget for a skywalk involves careful planning and lobbying. And our local representatives sometimes have to trim down their proposals just to get a skywalk set up and assure a safe pathway to the other side of the street.

However I think the budget for skywalks should include other facilities to make the project effective. You may find me ambitious but I think additional fund is needed to create an entire program for the skywalkers. Allow my layman's mind to continue this dream.

For one, we need to construct fences for the center of the lanes to totally stop the pedestrians from using the road to cross where a skywalk is present. Then we need to implement a consistent program that will encourage the pedestrians to use the facility for their own safety. To add to my wish, I noted that in Makati, the Skywalk of Ayala is maximized by the foot traffic because there is an escalator that helps even the elderly and the disabled to climb the stairs with relative ease. The lazy and the overweight and those requiring speed in their ascent don't need to race with the fast vehicles. As I said, this is a wish which hopefully, with Mr. Joey Salceda's assurance of the strengthening of the peso, we can find within our each.

Now there is also a need to impose discipline on the users of the skywalk. It is just so sad that some of us do not know how to take care of things given for our use. Just like the skywalk steps for instance, the construction engineer places metal plates as stoppers to prevent slipping. What happens is vandals dig and scrape them off the steps to be sold as scraps. So if we set up an escalator, it has to be maintained properly with an alarm in place to discourage vandals. Another wish.

Political will to strictly and consistently apprehend jaywalkers could somehow save the lives of those who out of ignorance or lack of discipline continue to ply on old traitts and overlook safety. Instead of leading the pedestrian across the street, a tanod can lead them to the skywalk.

I would still want to see more skywalks. Specially because their purpose is right and can indeed save lives. But I would also like to see the full use of these skywalks and their maintenance by the people themselves who benefit most from use. Ourselves.