Yes, we do know about the bad roads of Cebu!

 I never met her, but the Pro-Life groups in the Philippines mourn the passing to eternal life of Pro-Life founder Sr. Mary Pilar Verzosa, who collapsed during one of her talks. Her interment is scheduled today after she was cremated. She was a disciple of Fr. Paul Marx who founded Human Life International in 1974. She was the dynamo against the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill. We never met but we fought the same spiritual battle. With her in heaven, we now have a serious intercessor to continue this battle to stop the killing of innocent babies. May God grand her eternal rest.

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Last Monday, the Inquirer came up with a special report entitled, “PH has among worst roads, Global report shows.” We don’t need to get any global report to know about our roads. I travel a lot in my motorcycle to know that the good roads in this country are found in Luzon. Here in Cebu, we don’t have to travel far… just a few hundred meters away from my house is Winland Twin Towers and this corner is the worst in Juana Osmeña Extension. There is even a wire hanging in the middle of the road. It’s been like this for more than a month already as if the barangay officials don’t know what’s happening within their territorial jurisdiction.

If there is anything terribly wrong with the roads in this country, it is because the Department of Public Works & Highways (DPWH) did not create any standard for feeder roads, farm to market roads, barangay or national roads. We don’t have to look far. Take a good look at Gorordo Ave., which starts from the Immaculada Concepcion. It is one of the widest and best roads in Cebu City, especially in front of the University of the Philippines (UP), but a few meters ahead, at the corner of Doña Modesta Gaisano St., the road leading towards Beverly Hills, it becomes ridiculously narrow.

At this point, we ask the DPWH to correct these more than obvious “snake like” roads in Cebu, like in M.J. Cuenco towards the Mabolo Church. As Mayor Mike Rama’s slogan goes, “Straighten the crooked” and this is one road project that I would love to see happen in Cebu. Now do you want me to discuss why our government officials still want to use asphalt? That would take another column.

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Finally, the Philippine National Police (PNP) will be getting one of the best sidearm that one can ever hope to have… but not without controversy, which has now cost the position of DILG Undersecretary Rico Puno. But is he really linked to this deal? The PNP says he is not involved. But these are pronouncements that need to be validated.

Meanwhile, having owned a Glock 17 for some time, the only problem with the Glock is that you need to use a special kind of reload because ordinary reloads that use lead will make the barrel dirty and compromise copper jacketed bullets when you use them. For a gun buff like me or Pres. PNoy, that means a lot of cleaning unless you use those special reloads. But on the other hand, the proficiency of our policemen in the gun range is so poor because of lack of practice… it really doesn’t matter.

Glock 17 has a “pencil” type of barrel, which is thinner than in most handguns. The great thing about the Glock 17 is, you can fire more than 150,000 rounds on this handgun without ever replacing the barrel. During the 888 Forum yesterday, Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Pat Commendador validated my comments about the Glock 17, that they have to use more expensive reloads… or they might as well use a jacketed round. As Director Commendador pointed out, today only the SWAT use Glock handguns. But as soon as the 60,000 purchase of the Glock 17 is cleared, hopefully many of these handguns will find their way here in Cebu.

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When former Rep. Tony Cuenco announced that he was calling it quits in politics and will not be seeking another term in the 2013 elections, it opened up the South District of Cebu City for new comers into this elective post, after all, the present occupant of this post, Rep. Tomas Osmeña, is hell-bent on reclaiming the mayorship of Cebu City. As in the lyrics of the old song Three Coins in the Fountain, “Who will the fountain bless?” So, who will the Cebuanos choose as their next congressional representatives for the 2013 elections? I have no names as of the moment.

Meanwhile, Tony Cuenco’s quitting politics ends the era of Cuencos in public service that began at the turn of the century, from Sen. Mariano Jesus Cuenco, Gov. Manuel Cuenco, Rep. Miguel Cuenco, OIC Cebu City Mayor Boy Cuenco, Rep. Nancy Cuenco to Rep. Tony Cuenco. Who knows, a Cuenco may reemerge in the future of Cebu politics.

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