Perennial problems, often left in limbo

Among the factors that make for a livable local government unit (LGU), these are foremost: water, well-paved roads and byways, the drainage system, and electricity.

As treated in a previous write-up, during summer or the El Niño, the people suffer from lack of water. The irony is that in rainy season or La Niña, when there is water in abundance, there is no effort to save water. Thus, it would be ideal to drill as many artesian wells in all sitios/barrios where households congregate. Similarly, during the La Niña when rain water is just wasted in useless run-offs, it's necessary to build rain catchments, reservoirs, and whatever device to save the rain.

In this regard, Dr. Eli C. Perez ofMandaue City now in Columbia, Missouri, emailed on a previous column urging water-saving. He opines that the national and local governments should see to the enforcement of RA 6716 for house/building permit be strictly implemented for water-saving. The good doctor laments: "It is actually a shame why our leaders couldn't make this happen".

On road conditions, one's "Young Boss" then, Dr. Jose "Dodong" R. Gullas, scathingly points out: "The peril of living in the mountains", in Guba, a mountain barrio of Cebu City, preferring to live with Nature, or perhaps, to commune with the Creator and for peace of mind.

Dodong posits that the "existence of danger in the area" - in his letter to The FREEMAN - due to the worst road conditions and poor, nay, no maintenance to make them road-worthy. These roads are "very dilapidated and treacherous", that is, often muddy and slippery, prone to landslide with boulders rolling across the road because of loose foundation. He likens the peril as "passing through Afghanistan". One agrees, as with son-in-law, Gene, often traveled in summer to Lusaran via Paril, Sudlon, Guba, Tabunan, etc.

The one-time Congressman is in quandary to whom the problem be addressed, to Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama, or to Rep. Cutie del Mar, or to the Governor? By his experience as erstwhile solon, such problem should not fall on deaf ears. The unpaved and awful roads are true in any town and city that need immediate action to obviate imminent tragedies. Such bad road network betrays a nationwide neglect, especially in the boondocks. One wonders why the affluent Cebu City government didn't address Dodong's plight when, in fact, Mayor Rama had offered in cavalier fashion P500,000 to Daanbantayan for its fiesta celebration. Wow, what kind of priority!

Simultaneous to the power failures in Metro Cebu, Congressman Eduardo "Eddiegul" R. Gullas switched on the Carcar electrification project which is under the Cebu Electric Cooperative (Cebeco). This vital project powers Carcar's 14 barangays comprising 82 sitios.

One recalls when Congressman "Eddiegul" was the Governor - with longest tenure as Governor - he had various projects, like, the electrification of mountain barrios in the width and breadth of Cebu, as well as, The Pop Music Festival, on education, and on infrastructure, etc. which he and his core group monitored at their sites in the field.

So, now is a continuation of advocacy for power to as many sitios/barrios. Incidentally, upon discovery that the national budget does not have allocation for power/electrification for the National Electrification Administration (NEA), he has fought for amendment of said budget. Such move is a manifestation of his intense passion for electrification of the rural areas and the hinterlands.

With regard to poor drainage system, all LGUs, such inadequacy of public service is also nationwide. In Cebu City and Mandaue City, a 30-minute deluge is enough to make their streets/roads virtual rivers. The problem of Venice pales in comparison and, more like Pakistan and India, often inundated by the swollen Indus and Ganges Rivers, respectively.

It's sad that the factors making livable communities are hardly getting sincere, determined, and much constant attention by the powers that be; and that, livable communities have gradually turned for the worst, not only due to climate change, but by many uncaring politicians.

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