The True Relationship Among Cebu Flyovers, Congressmen, and Karma

Prior to the P'Noy Administration, the burden of contractors was like this:

1) Congressman/Mayor has a budget for a project

2) Congressman/Mayor talks to contractor about the possible awarding of contract, then contractor agrees that a portion of the contract amount goes to the Congressman/Mayor. This amount is called S.O.P. (Standard Operating Procedure). This means the profit will be lesser but this guarantees awarding of the contract to the contractor. Thus, bidding is non-existent. It does occur, but the essence of the bidding is not there.

3) If the contractor is unlucky, Congressman/Mayor asks for the S.O.P. in advance. Therefore, contractors are left to shell out money (a minimum of 20% of the total contract amount) to keep the favor of the Congressman/Mayor.

For example, if the project amount is 600 Million, at least 20% of such goes to the Congressman/Mayor (thus, 120 Million). If unlucky, the contractor could have shelled out a huge sum before the actual bidding period, a minimum of 1.2 Million (1% of 20%), to get the contract award.

Thus, what happens?

- Contractor is burdened to pay money while the contract is still on "verbal negotiations". Consequently, contractor makes a way to still earn profit or have the risk of losing more, thus quality of work is sacrificed.

- Since Congressman/Mayor already got the money in advance, it is adamant to get the project done. Otherwise, the S.O.P will have to be reimbursed. So by virtue of the power of the Congressman/Mayor, project should be awarded to contractor.

Achieving Sustainable Development takes into consideration the needs of the present generation without sacrificing the future generation.  There should be a balance in addressing the interests and stakes for People, Planet and Profit.  Photo Credits: www.dreamstime.com

I hope that this is no longer the case these days, as P'Noy is now the President of the Philippines.

If such is still the current practice, then something is really wrong with the system.

I just hope that this is not the reason why there is persistence in building flyovers in Cebu despite the obvious reasons to stop it.

The most tangible rationale to build an infrastructure as expensive as a Ph600 Million Flyover are not signatures of the people who are supporting the project. There are people who are against the flyovers, not just those who own the properties along the site where these shall be built, and these people understand what matters most.

Cebu needs a Master Plan.
We can enumerate all the problems faced by Cebu, and the other highly urbanized cities of Metro Cebu these days (like Mandaue City, Lapulapu City, to name a few), and the lack of a working Master Plan is one of the root causes.

A Master Plan will tell how resources are to be used, how land will be developed, how road networks will maximize the use of the zoned areas, and how people will live in a City that Works.  All these will help ensure that we are taking care of Cebu and its territories to make sure that the future generation will have something to use for their needs too.

Pity on us if all our representatives in the government will only care about S.O.P.

They can do every legality needed to justify the building of these flyovers, and if such infrastructures will rise in the ugliest way, then so be it.

But it is my moral obligation to tell everyone, that if we do not care about how to manage Cebu by having a vision of what we want it to become in about 5-10 years from now, expect to live in a City that's thirsty, dirty, and congested.

Planning Metro Cebu needs to be a consolidation of solutions that work, coming from multi-sectors. Planning this City is beyond talks over how to earn money fast by building projects that are not thought out well. Decisions in managing Cebu need to be based on having sustainable environment that will work for the health and safety of the people.

On the issue of whether or not a Flyover should be built before a Master Plan is rolled out: I rest my case. Any elected official should be intelligent enough to understand the message right away.

Unless of course, he or she is otherwise.

To end this, I can only state more facts.

• Cebu is a highly clannish society.  
• About only 5% of the total population of the Philippines control its economy.  
• The fall of the greatest empires of mankind's history are mostly attributed to leaders who somehow forgot their responsibilities to the people.  Either the people pushed forward to retrieve the power they entrusted upon those leaders, or these leaders got cooked in their own grease.  (I think one of the most corrupt presidents/officials of this country might be in this plight already).  

We all co-exist and we share just one world, and whatever bad things you do will come back to you.  Definitely, "Chickens come home to roost".

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About the Author:
I am a proud Generation X. If most of my generation have lost hope and decided it's stupid to stay in the Philippines in their lifetime, then I must be stupid. But what makes me different from the rest of the Generation X, Y, and Millenium Generation who have left Inang Bayan is my one great love for the Philippines to keep on hoping day by day that it will change for the best.  This is my contribution to my Motherland.

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