Bakasyon!

School’s out and it’s summer. For many, it’s time to escape from the rising temperature and dust of the city. The days and nights have been quite muggy, forcing many of us to switch on our energy-consuming air conditioners. With Holy Week looming, many anticipate a mad scramble out to more salubrious climes and destinations. The thought of fighting it out through the EDSA-like traffic north and south of Manila just to escape, however, is daunting but nevertheless, many people go.

The problem of the unbearable heat has plagued Manileños since about the 18th century. That’s when the city started to become too crowded and hot in the summer months. Spaniards and the local gentry started to build summer houses on the banks of the clean and cool Pasig River from San Miguel district and upstream. These banks soon filled up with grand estates, of which Malacañan is the most famous.

In the early 20th century, the Americans found relief in the breezy heights of Fort McKinley (now Fort Bonifacio) and the pristine beaches of Pasay and Tondo. Yes, these two seaside locations were quite picturesque and accessible. The urban planner Daniel Burnham, in fact, listed the establishment of summer resorts and open spaces as one of the prime objectives of his 1905 master plan for Manila. Within two decades into the last century, Pasay turned into the South Beach of Manila with seafront houses of the rich, powerful and famous – the Zobels, Lopezes, Quezons, Delgados, Durnhams, etc. The Manila Polo Club also provided a venue for snooty pleasures.

The rest of less-affluent Manila also benefited from these beaches. The tranvia system brought them to points north to Malabon and south to the beaches of Pasay. In fact, the train and tranvia system could take summer escapees as far east as Antipolo, which has always been a prime summer destination for reasons religious as well as recreational. Hinulugang Taktak was a popular spot, while those more adventurous would head straight for pre-Apocalypse Pagsanjan.

Northward, there was Sibul Springs. Sibul sits in a valley at the foothills of the Cordillera Mountains and the town boasted the best mineral baths and sulfur springs in the Philippines. For the price of one spa treatment today, you could take your whole family for a week’s retreat. Nearby, the caves of El Renacimiento and Madlum were popular attractions while hunting and riding were available for all to enjoy. Of course, further north was Baguio and that, too, was accessible to everyone via train and pleasant bus services.

South of Manila ,Tagaytay and Taal developed into options to Baguio. Before the war, the ridge was a mere one-hour drive up postcard-pretty terrain unsullied by billboards, cell phone banners, fastfoods or cookie-cutter subdivisions. President Manuel L. Quezon envisioned a "hill station"much like Baguio and even considered Tagaytay as a possible new capital city (although Quezon City won in the end).

The first thing he ordered built was a lodge. The Taal Vista Lodge was the third hotel after the Manila Hotel and the Pines Hotel in the government’s scheme then to provide lodging for travelers and tourists. The Pines and the Taal Vista Lodge were built in the Tudor style and were probably designed by Andres Luna de San Pedro, son of Juan Luna who did extensive renovations to the Manila Hotel in the 1930s.

Since the post-war era, our tourism infrastructure has deteriorated. A flurry of PTA-led construction in the martial law era produced many more lodges, resorts and hotels but sadly, most of these fell to disrepair or were left inaccessible and unattractive by the lack of roads, buses, trains, airports, proper management and clean bathrooms and toilets.

The train and tranvia systems have disappeared. The MRTs and LRTs now work within the metropolitan boundaries only and do not give the masses any escape into the countryside. This job is left to a third-world passenger bus system with no central terminal, no connection to MRT/LRT stations, no comfortable and safe buses, and no reliable schedules. Our domestic air terminal in Manila (save for PAL) is still a glorified shed – the type of which I saw in Malaysia and Indonesia 15 years ago. Travel by sea is riskier than crossing our U-turned streets. You have two options when traveling by boat – arriving alive or not arriving at all (and always, never on time). (By the way, has anyone been convicted for any of our annual ferry disasters?)

There is some hope for travelers and tourists in some spots. The Taal Vista Lodge has been resurrected as a five-star hotel with a fine restaurant, ballrooms and 150 comfortable rooms. A spa and swimming pool will be completed and opened soon. The views are magnificent as ever.

The north diversion road is undergoing rehabilitation and improvements. Soon, too, the first leg of the trip to Clark, Subic and Baguio will be on world-class highways. The LRT is reportedly being extended to Cavite to provide access for ordinary folk to the tourist spots in that province and nearby Batangas. Bus terminals could then be located outside the metropolis, thus easing traffic on EDSA and rationalizing provincial travel.

Most of these projects are private sector-led. The DOT seems to be spinning their wheels with questionable multi-million projects like the light and sound kitchtravaganza in the Intramuros and a WOW Philippines campaign that just seems like another mega-million-dollar marketing campaign. The money (our money) would be better spent improving basic infrastructure like toilets, roadside amenities, provincial airports as well as on ferry safety, landscape maintenance and just keeping our tourist destinations clean. One ad placement in foreign magazines or TV would pay for the upkeep of one public park for a year. One new statue could pay for walking tours of Manila heritage for 30,000 school kids.

Many Filipinos really need a vacation. We all feel that we have to escape the inutility of our government in providing basic amenities here in our cities and towns as well as basic infrastructure for leisure and recreation. Equitable access to open space, parks, leisure destinations, travel, tourism and recreation ensures that the Philippines is a nation of healthy citizens. The stresses of our daily lives can be mitigated by regular rest and a good vacation once a year (as guaranteed by law). As it is, except for those who can afford it, the only escape most Filipinos have is through prayer.

God, give us all a break – and a three-day, two-night luxury tour to anywhere but here.

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Feedback is welcome. E-mail the writer at citysensephilstar@hotmail.com.