Mercado's Column

Viewpoint : Crammed mail boxes

Juan Mercado
Inquirer News Service

PANFILO Lacson as male "Mata Hari," book shortages in provincial libraries, Cebu as example of how not to succeed and Korean-style bike lanes cram our mail boxes these days.

From San Mateo in California, Antonio Navales asks: "Why are we surprised at the reaction to the Federal Bureau of Investigation charges that three Philippine officials received classified reports filched by an employee, who passed them on to Senator Lacson's protégé, Michael Ray Aquino, who is a fugitive from murder charges?

"Even before the federal court unsealed the indictment, five officials-two more than the FBI pinpointed-had denied having done anything wrong. Aside from Lacson, former President Joseph Estrada, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Rep. Roilo Golez and ex-Sen. Francisco Tatad "stood up to be recognized."

That's par for the course in our country where the 10 Commandments have been watered down into "10 Recommendations." And far too many of our elite instead live by the 11th to 13th commandments.

The 11th Commandment decrees: "Thou shalt deny everything." And the 12th adds: "Thou shalt not resign." And the 13th sums up the other two: "Thou shalt not get caught." The next few days will see who got nailed.

From Calasiao, Pangasinan, teacher Agnes Bacugan writes: "Re the column 'The Heroes We Never Were' -- I desire to be a hero as well, that's to save one or two souls from ignorance.

"At the Comprehensive National High School, I teach English. As library resource center custodian, I promote reading among my students. But a significant number of high school students can't even read! This is a disheartening reality.

"Enticing them to visit the library is difficult. I don't blame them. Like other schools, our library has a very slim collection of paperbacks and reference books.

"Could your Inquirer readers send one book each to Calasiao with a personal dedication? Perhaps, it's not too much to ask for. It's almost Christmas anyway."

This "promdi" dreams of promoting a reading culture. That may not be grand, as ambitions go in this country. But it is significant.

From Hong Kong, author Isabel Escoda (who also writes for Inquirer) reacts: "I forwarded Pangasinan's Agnes Bacugan's appeal to Dan and Nancy Harrington in California.

"They've been sending container loads of books for over 20 years now, even to Jolo. They often travel around the islands. Dan was once a Subic naval pilot. A former schoolteacher, Nancy gathers books mainly on math, history, science, English and literature when California schools change them every few years. That saves still-good books from being dumped into local landfills.

"Manila's given them some awards for their work. But much of it is unacknowledged and unappreciated. Their pilot schools in Paco and Dumaguete are most impressive."

Jobert Alcoseba from General Santos comments: "Your column rightly points out that Cebu City offers examples of how not to succeed.

"Mayor Tomas Osmeña's 'Crown Jewel' -- the 295-hectare South Reclamation Project -- is trapped in a costly desalination box to provide water. But if the column factored in the consequences of costly water in SRP, on bloated P6.3-billion loan, the quagmire would have been seen more clearly."

"SRP's problem is not the delay in the release of land titles, due to Talisay City claims for a 54-hectare slice. It will be water. If taps are dry, or water is too costly, investors [are going to] bolt," Investments Promotion Center's Joel Mari Yu cautions.

Cebu is water-short. To provide water for SRP, Osmeña must turn to desalination, an energy-intensive process. Even when oil was cheaper, desalinated water cost 10 times more than water piped from conventional springs.

But today, oil costs $70 a barrel. There are no prospects for early relief. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries warns that bottlenecks in refining capacity will keep those prices high, even if they pump more.

Those hard facts scuttle Osmeña's claim that cash would roll in, once the titles are delivered. They won't. Not until the mayor solves the water problem.

Annual yen loan payments now total P600 million. That's 25 centavos out of every peso in city hall's budget. Among all local governments, Cebu City is strapped with the biggest liability, the Commission on Audit notes. Osmeña strapped Cebuanos with a per capita repayment tax burden twice that of nation's-no mean feat.

That will stretch out repayment headaches. That's why Osmeña talks of "a bargain sale" to ease the financial squeeze. But the bill will be picked up ultimately by the taxpayer.

"No city relishes being straight-jacketed into high-cost, energy-intensive water systems," Sun Star Daily wrote three years back. "And that's where Cebu is headed for."

A telecom engineer in Seoul writes: "From the Inquirer, I read about bike lanes that'll be put up in Metro Manila. We should learn how the Korean government spent tax money wisely in building their bike lanes.

"On the banks of Hangan River -- which cuts through Seoul -- both sides have broad bike lanes. I bike through these lanes Sundays. Hundreds use them for roller blade skating, jogging and strolling, etc.

"There are public toilets: clean, supplied with soap, water, paper towels. Exercise areas and sport facilities abound. Before the MMDA [Metropolitan Manila Development Authority] starts building those bike lanes, they better visit the one here in Seoul."