Good while it lasted

The headline read “EDSA melts.”

Actually, it got perforated by rain, submerged in water and the binder diluted and dissolved. But who cares about technicalities; the point is how a “good thing” turned bad in one week, millions or a billion pesos lost or remaining at risk, and the big question: what next?

Before we all bring out our pitch forks and rope to lynch somebody or blacklist a company, let’s be fair and admit that the work on EDSA got everybody’s approval before nonstop rain peeled off parts of it. At the very least, we can agree that it was good while it lasted.

Presumably, repaving or re-asphalting will be the “go-to plan” and maybe, just maybe, this time the asphalt mix will be waterproof and hopefully “melt proof” when next year’s summer turns our roadways into ovens. 

While we are on the subject of finding solutions, we should perhaps revisit the phrase: “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”

 We have to fix the potholes or EDSA’s deterioration but that is a temporary fix, solution or repair of one problem without addressing the contributing problems that cause the damage in the first place.

The fact is EDSA was not designed and is technically challenged to handle or carry the current number or volume of cars, trucks, vans and buses that pass through EDSA. Neither was it designed to carry the constant and enormous weight driving above it, particularly overloaded trucks.

A few years ago, someone with the track record of building and maintaining roadways and infrastructure suggested that an elevated bus lane or expressway should and could be constructed on top of EDSA. That is obviously the most practical way of dispersing the volume and weight of vehicles passing through EDSA.

 The man who suggested the elevated bus way or expressway was none other than Ramon Ang, chairman and CEO of San Miguel Corporation, the same man who has led the construction and management of various road infrastructure all over the Philippines.

 Back then, Ramon Ang confidently expressed that SMC could do it if the government called for it. To begin with, SMC already has the experienced organization for expressway development and construction. 

SMC also has the means and access to funds and investors who would put up the money as long as SMC is in charge. Not to be redundant, but SMC has “been there, done that.” 

After many years of user experience with various expressways built and operated by SMC, Filipinos have shown their willingness to pay for convenience, safety and faster or shorter driving time. While we can buy convenience, we can’t buy time.

 As far as possibility is concerned, those familiar with the many challenges, even engineering ones, that SMC faced in different projects prove they will overcome any challenge, whether man-made, technical or otherwise.

 As far as practicality goes, the post and beam approach that SMC used for the Skyway can be applied on an elevated EDSA expressway. In addition, such a skyway would also connect to other existing routes, making life and passage even more efficient for the Greater Metro Manila.

The question is, will the government and our leaders share or take part in such a vision, or will we go back to the tapal-tapal system of construction and corruption? Given our current “winter of discontent,” the Marcos administration needs all the help they can get.

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Once again, the Philippines gained notoriety.

 After experiencing a great ride on Alex Eala’s fame and victories in tennis courts abroad, the Philippines is once again in the international spotlight, but for the wrong reason. 

Photos of our rubbish has been seen in the UK, photos of “the floating island of garbage” has been seen online worldwide and the sheer volume of garbage washing out into the waterways have conservationists stunned.

What’s ironic is no one will resign, much less be fired, for our international humiliation because the sad fact is no one is in charge and no one is responsible, so much so that government officials and politicians have resorted to blaming the Filipino people for the garbage disaster.

 Once again, it is the fault of the undisciplined Filipinos, not government officials who should be proactively managing garbage collection and disposal, not the fault of local officials who should be monitoring garbage hanging on walls and dumped on street corners. 

Yes, it is the fault of Filipinos for using plastic bags that stores and retailers are no longer supposed to use, under a law or decree that government and law enforcement agencies have not institutionalized.

 Whose fault is it for banning the use or deployment of waste cans on sidewalks? Whose fault is it for stopping barangay or village wide clean-up drives to instill an understanding of proper waste disposal? 

Whose fault is it that we adopted first world concerns and practices not to burn leaves and trash or use incinerators to keep up with modern environmental nations at the cost of creating mountains of garbage, mosquitoes and dengue outbreaks?

 Who should be blamed for mismanaging urban migration and over-population while under-developing the resulting requirements for trash management, traffic, road cleanliness, etc.?

 As many Filipinos say: “Ako, lagi na lang ako!”