Where's the design of the third bridge?
That breaking news coming from Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy that said the 3rd link from mainland Cebu to Mactan Island will start construction this January is hard to believe because the Regional Development Council-7 has not even decided on this infrastructure development yet. Mayor Sitoy said that this project is a joint venture between the town of Cordova and Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. of chairman Manuel Pangilinan. What we would like him to do is reveal the plans as to where this link would pass, the design of the bridge, and most importantly, the financials of the project. How much is the contribution of the town of Cordova?
Mind you, linking the bridge is even the easy part. Whoever does this project must also open up a roadway from the landing point of the bridge straight to the Mactan Cebu International Airport. Please don't get me wrong! Cebu needed this bridge 10 years ago. But given the ways of the Philippine government, unless Mayor Sitoy can tell us that MPTC agreed to a Swiss Challenge, only then can he say that this project is a go.
At this point, Mayor Sitoy's report reveals a potential monkey wrench when the Japan International Cooperation Agency said that at least 280 houses, 20 offices and factories in Cebu City and 30 houses in Cordova would be affected by the construction. Given our history with the Department of Public Works and Highways where it has taken nearly 9 years to widen M. Velez St. and 11 years to widen Escario Extension. I can just imagine what a huge delay this project would have to go through.
The only thing positive about this project is that, it is being done by the Metro Tollways Corporation, which has a good track record in building highways in Metro Manila, plus the fact that finally the 3rd link from Cebu to Mactan is finally starting to budge.
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One of the guests in yesterday's 888 News Weekly Forum at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel were our good friends, Marco Canton, Stella Palomo, and Sister Virgie of the People's Anti-Pork Coalition. This is the National People's Congress that aims to scrap the pork barrel as endorsed by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma. As Marc pointed out, it took them 8 months to prepare for this event that will happen on Saturday Aug.23rd at the Mariner's Court with some 70 groups participating.
This actually started when we had that Anti-Pork Barrel rally slated to be held at Fuente Osmeña but was hijacked by the Yellowtards and brought to the Plaza Independencia. Why do I say that it was hijacked? That's because when Mrs. Carmen Campbell got unto the stage, they turned off her microphone because they did not want Pres. Benigno Aquino III to be attacked in that rally. During the Marcos Dictatorship, there was no Freedom of Speech. But under the Aquino Regime, his Yellowtards prevented people from exercising their right to Free Speech! Indeed, those Yellowtards are no different from the Marcos Kami followers.
Since then, I turned cold and never attended any meetings anymore because these people "protected" the President against the wrath of the people who are angry about the Pork Barrel. But then this was before the Disbursement Acceleration Program was exposed by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. Now if Pres. PNoy who always talks about good governance is truly transparent, then he must account for his P15.6 billion, which the Commission on Audit admitted that the Office of the President has not made any report on this fund. P 150.6 billion is a lot of money to be disbursed by one man, even if he is the President of the land!
Don't get me wrong! I'm fully against the pork barrel. But the Coalition against Pork Barrel must also look at the bigger picture. Today the big breaking issue is PNoy's sinister plan to extend his term via Constituent Assembly a move that has become so unpopular, I'm sure that the ratings of the President would plunge further down because of this.
So I suggested to the planners of the Anti-Pork Coalition that they include the subject of Cha-Cha at this time. Yes, I say at this time because I have always been asking for Charter Change since the time of Pres. Fidel V. Ramos. Unfortunately, FVR decided to do just that in the last two years of his reign and people suspected him of trying to extend his term.
The same goes for then Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo whom many of us voted to be President because of her platform for Federalism. But while she had the Abueva Commission go on a countrywide tour to find out if the Filipino embraced Federalism, PGMA did not call for a constitutional convention to transform the nation. Yet Prof. Jose Abueva reported to me that the groups that he met in the Visayas and Mindanao have embraced Federalism. This is why we need a system change in the government rather go to another electoral process via the PCOS Tikas machines.
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