Whose fool are you?

Creating an intersection and installing traffic lights on C5 near the Korean Embassy and McKinley hill defies logic.

From end to end, C5 road or highway was clearly designed to be a pass-through highway where traffic at intersections were minimized by design through the use of flyovers and elevated U-turn slots. The fact of the matter is that several administrations have spent billions of pesos and suffered criticism in compliance of the pass-through design for C5.

Last Saturday, I happened to pass by C5 after a long and intentional absence and avoidance because trucks, buses and delivery vans have all but taken over C5. Fortunately I had to or I would not have discovered that an intersection and traffic lights had been placed in front of the McKinley Hills area in Fort Bonifacio. As a result, the stop and go intervals have added one more bottle neck where there used to be none! As I was in need of fuel, I pulled over at the Petron Station and it was there I learned from the locals that the new intersection had been operating and causing a traffic jam and added hassle to commuters.

The traffic lights were clearly unpopular to motorists and even people on scooters and motorcycles were unhappy about the added delay. One guy commented “Mayaman kasi ang mga nakatira diyan kaya ginawaan ng trapik light para easy easy lang ang pag labas pasok nila.” (The people who live in that area are rich so they get a traffic light to make their exit and entry very easy). Another motorist added: “Pauwi ka na lang dadagdagan pa ng pahirap at patagal biyahe” (Instead of just driving home, they put an added delay to make things more difficult).

The question is: Who and how did the traffic lights get put up in spite of the fact that it defies the logic of C5 being a highway and the fact that it defies the design logic of the highway? Is it possible that certain developers are so close and favored by the PNoy Misadministration that the DPWH and the MMDA have chosen to follow the declaration of “Florante” to “Laura”: “Lahat ay hahamakin, masunod ka lamang” (To defy all if only to please you.”)

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Congressman Romeo Acop is considering an amendment to our gun laws in view of the series of “Laglag bala” cases presumably in line with recent decisions of the Supreme Court that dismisses cases based on mere possession of a bullet or bullets as amulets or with no intent to use or fire.

While Acop and other Congressmen are at it, they might want to amend or write into law provisions that would simplify and take out the Red Tape in the renewal of gun licenses, driver’s licenses etc. If the LTO and the PNP insists that applicants should not have outstanding criminal records or warrants, the national government should spend money and invest in the connectivity of national law enforcement agencies and stop placing the burden and cost on the citizens. Yes, these agencies need to generate income, but that is not the only thing that is costing citizens. We have to take time out from work, just to queue up for renewals that are now being done by mail in other countries. Make the licenses multi-year and charge fees but stop wasting people’s productivity by making them stand in endless lines of bureaucracy and red tape!

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With all the pre-election “Tit for Tat” going on, I am reminded of the phrase: “I’m a Fool for Jesus, Who’s Fool are you?”

My friend David Lim of MyPhone and Green Sun, recently commented how divisive the upcoming elections have become, pitting friend against friend, siblings against each other, relatives all jumping into the un-royal rumble. And all for what? For a bunch of candidates whom they don’t even know personally or know very little about and who after the election is finished won’t even know of their existence, fervor or effort. David’s only wish for everyone concerned is that the candidate that people choose to support will actually be the person they thought them to be.

Yesterday just before going to Sunday service, I was reminded of that post and some of my recent Bible readings. It is a sad thing to know that relationships and reputations will undoubtedly be damaged or put on the line carelessly, all in the name of supporting a candidate. But what concerns me is that Filipinos are once again placing their trust in professional politicians and relying on mere humans, largely imperfect, to fix things and solve our nation’s problems.

As our Founding Pastor Steve Murrel puts it: “If you put your trust in man, you will certainly be disappointed.” Not only do I want to avoid disappointment, I also want to avoid the “Divine Backlash” of GOD who must be feeling a bit insulted by the way many Filipinos have been promoting and campaigning for candidates as if they held the answer to all our woes and conveniently forgetting GOD.

We all say that, that is never our intention, but if we were to conduct personal audits and do a comparative tally, who gets more mention in our public statements, Facebook posts and Twitter? How many shares or posts do you make in support of a Presidential or Vice Presidential candidate compared to posts and shares you make about GOD or Bible verses? Assess the quality and assertion of your statements regarding a presidential candidate compared to your statements or “Like” concerning GOD or God’s word?

Will God come out the hands down winner or will he look like a belated mention, reluctantly shared for fear of us being labeled as “Jesus Freaks” or “overly religious.”

Call me what you will, but if there is GOD and if he is the GOD in the Bible, considering how we have left him out of the equation, I dare say we are screwed! Yes, I said it. We fear the wrath of politicians, crime lords, mentors and parents. We proudly wear or state our religious titles or definitions like a badge of honor while unwittingly dishonoring GOD by giving politicians all the honor and giving them credit for what they have yet to achieve, while GOD has already shown what he has done for each and all of us repeatedly and through several lifetimes and generations.

Just like America, we claim “In God We Trust” and have even copied the US by placing it on the face of our printed currency (in Tagalog), but this claim is no longer in our hearts.

Yes, I am what people call a “Fool” for God. What about you?