Cebu's strongestquake: A year after
Didn't I tell you that that public hearing for the new terminal fees at the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority was done not to find out whether you folks agree with the new terminal fees or not, but rather because of compliance? We got word that the new terminal fees would be increased this Nov. 1st, which in my book was aimed to hurt the passengers during the observance of All Saint's Day and All Soul's Day. How I wish that someone would file a Temporary Restraining Order against this move by the MCIAA to impose new fees even if the new terminal hasn't even been constructed yet! It is time for action!
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Exactly at 8:12AM a year ago, I was on the balcony of my house waiting for breakfast to be cooked when all of a sudden, the earth shook so violently, I had to hold on to the handrails to keep my balance. My car was parked outside and was wildly swaying left to right… so I could only hold on and pray that none of the tall buildings on my view along the AsiaTown IT Park would fall down.
At 7.2 magnitude in the Richter scale, it was the longest and the strongest earthquake that we've ever come across to hit us in Cebu. This came from the heels of that 6.9 magnitude earthquake that struck Guihulngan on Feb.6, 2012. That earthquake also rocked Cebu City and who could forget that it caused a major panic in Cebu City where residents from as far as downtown Cebu City would run all the way to Marco Polo Hotel?
Knowing how people always run outside during an earthquake, I rushed to the downtown area on my motorcycle and I was right, because along Juana Osmeña Ext. by the Windland Tower, the street was crowded with residents who rushed down during the earthquake. As I got into Osmeña Blvd, I immediately noticed that the belfry of the Sto. Niño Basilica had fallen down. As I approached the cordoned area, I saw a motorcycle crushed by the centuries old stone. Apparently the owner was bringing his mother to church when he thought that the bike had a flat tire and stopped just in time to run when the belfry fell on his bike.
Of course the social media networking went on hyper speed to send reports that the majority of old churches in Bohol had fallen down. Many of them just a pile of rubble. The famous Loboc Church, which had a separate belfry from the main church, was 80% destroyed and the belfry a pile of rubble. So too with the church in Tubigon. This brought many of us orthodox Catholics to ask, "Why did most churches in Bohol fall and in Cebu, the Sto. Niño Basilica? Was this some kind of Divine sign that there is a need to reach out to those Catholics who no longer attended church services?"
Well, it's been a year since that earthquake struck us and while most of the privately owned buildings are in various state of reconstruction. One of the problems plaguing these building owners is that their insurance companies and adjusters who were quick to look into the various problems in the buildings…but after all has been said and done… they do not reply to calls anymore. We're asking the PNB General Insurance Co., Inc. and Malayan Insurance to at least answer their calls whether they would pay or not?
As far as government buildings are concerned. Nothing much is happening to the Palace of Justice, which has a lot of cracks in the building. This added to the long delays in many court cases, which were moved to the Quimonda IT Center at the Port Area. But as to what's happening in the Palace of Justice? We have no idea if at all the Judiciary would repair the building or build a new one. With the Aquino Regime blocking any development that the Judiciary is planning, we can only second-guess that it would take many more years before things would be back to normal in the Palace of Justice. Indeed we are truly a 3rd world country because of the way we are!
As for the Cebu City Medical Center, through the efforts of Mayor Mike Rama, who went on a tour to the US, where he got pledges from many Cebuanos working there… the construction of the new CCMC can only happen if and when those folks who made those pledges would make good on them. Meanwhile everything is temporary at the present CCMC location.
Whenever I pass by the Cebu International Convention Center, I always say to myself…"What a waste!" Obviously nothing is being done there because I do not see construction workers fixing this edifice. Mind you, Metro Cebu needs this facility because conventions and events are major parts of a tourism campaign. What good is there for Cebu to promote itself as a tourist destination, yet we have no facilities for international exhibitions and events? If by the year 2016 nothing is finished in CICC, then I suggest that Gov. Hilario Davide III do not seek reelection.
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