NOT happy over the P480-million flyover on the M. H. del Pilar/Infante junction, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has chosen a nearby site for another unnecessary flyover. The project, also under the Tulay ng Pangulo Program, will stretch along Gen. Luna highway, over the Jalandoni junction – between the University of San Agustin frontage and the entrance to the Doña Aurora Subdivision.

The old trees in the middle of the road have already been sawed off in preparation for the project’s groundbreaking on November 19, “starring” President GMA.

Very soon, vehicular traffic will have to be redirected to narrower streets. Brace yourselves for traffic jams reminiscent of those long months when the first flyover on M.H. del Pilar/Infante was being constructed. Remember, it took us almost an hour, instead of the usual 15 minutes, to travel from the City Proper to Arevalo.

To this day, however, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has not disclosed the budget. Secret? We can only guess it’s another cool P480-m or even more. Don’t you agree, RD Rolando Asis?

Anybody in his right mind knows that the real motive of the “cooks” behind the “concoction” is to generate kickback that could double the actual cost of the project.

We the tax-paying motorists lament such another waste of their money. Who needs a flyover when nobody complains of heavy traffic in that side of the city?

It is appalling that Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas encourages, rather than opposes, the President’s misuse of Tulay ng Pangulo funds. The budget could have served a better purpose had it been used to reconstruct bridges destroyed by typhoon Frank.

On second thought, why would Jerry squeal when he has his own white elephants? His substandard and cannibalized P130-million Pavia housing project is now home to goats, cows, doves and even the indigent short-time lovers?

Well, at least, Jerry deserves a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the only mayor in the world who spent millions of pesos in public funds to demolish the City Hall so that he and other city employees could squat in a mall. Hurray!

●●●

In declaring his “independence” from ousted Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr. to announce his intention to challenge Congressman Raul Gonzalez, Jr., outgoing Mayor Jerry Treñas was tacitly implying he could no longer kowtow to the elder Raul. He doesn’t need him anymore.

Now it’s clear that Treñas had long ago planned a contingency in the event that Junior’s redistricting bill would collapse. Remember when our cell phones heated up with text messages predicting a Triple J scenario?

The other day, we heard a radio reporter report that the mayor would only run for congressman alongside mayorable Vice-Mayor Jed Mabilog if the latter would consider his (Jerry’s) “bilas” Joe Espinosa III as running mate for vice-mayor. That’s 3J indeed standing for Jerry, Jed and Joe.

Now here’s the rub: Jerry is exerting pressure on Jed to get Joe or else…; no doubt he is playing the same game that Raul Sr. used to dangle on them.

The Lions are roaring; they don’t want Jed, past president of the Iloilo Host Lions Club, to be tied to an unfair deal. Jed would be more at home with councilor Jamjam Baronda to be the third J in his ticket. As the mayoralty candidate, jazzy Jed – not the baby-faced Jerry – ought to have the final say over the choice of his candidates for vice-mayor and councilors.

On the other hand, Jerry must be thinking that he would be indispensable to Jed; that without him in the team, Jed would lose to Raul Gonzalez, Sr.

But what if Jed declines Jerry’s demand? Will Jerry go to another mayoralty candidate, Larry Jamora, with the same get-Joe-in proposal? The lawyers call that forum shopping.

Ay ahay, daw panakip-butas gua ni Larry eh!

●●●

To fight or “baby” the oil cartel? That is the question that we expect President GMA to answer in the light of pressure from the Big 3 to lift her Executive Order 839 freezing oil prices in Luzon in the wake of floods caused by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.

If GMA gives in, that would only prove that she and the cartel were just doing a zarzuela aimed at giving the public the impression that the oil companies are really losing, and that they are indispensable.

Unknown to Luzon motorists, gas and diesel prices are much overpriced in the Visayas. A liter of premium gasoline in Iloilo City costs P44-plus; whereas it’s only P36 in Metro Manila.

If she personally cares for the people and does not benefit from the cartel, the best that GMA could do is, first, abolish the 12% VAT on oil (believed to be a rich source of graft and corruption); and then ask Congress to repeal the oil deregulation law and buy back Petron.

●●●

The obsession of outgoing Governor Niel Tupas to defeat Congressman Ferj Biron has resulted in the concentration of infrastructure projects in the 4th District.

Ironically, it’s bad for his son Raul “Boboy” Tupas, who is running for governor to replace him. The wrath of the neglected residents of the other districts could take its toll on Boboy.

In barangay Kadinglian, Oton, for instance, residents there have become disgusted with the governor for playing deaf to their complaint re two short deteriorating wooden bridges that could soon break down. The holes in the planks of these bridges raise the alarm that an accident might be waiting to happen.

●●●

Welcome to Iloilo City, Brod Leonido Bordeos, a division chief of the Land Management Bureau who is here for a national convention. We saw each other the other Tuesday for the first time in 38 long years. He was one of my frat brods and classmates at the MLQ University (Quiapo, Manila).

Another one is Crispin Danug, now the regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment. He is an Ilocano from Isabela who has developed a taste for Lapaz batchoy and other Ilonggo favorites. Like this columnist, he used to write a column for our school paper, The Quezonian.

Leonid and Cris are now senior citizens and I am about to become one. Hu hu hu. We have metamorphosed from being young ones to young once.

●●●

Amigo Terrace Hotel treated us to coffee and bread the other day in celebration of its 25th anniversary that will officially reel off with “A Dinner for a Cause” on December 4.

I remember and miss the nights I slept – nay, stayed awake with a friend – in this hotel when it was new. I must have gone old.

2 Responses to “Chit-chats on ‘fly overpriced’ and the Jerry-Jed deadlock”

• 1
  Carlo magno
  November 14th, 2009 08:24

  The possible alliance of the The Three Stooges, Jed, Jerry, and Jose, are gounded on a very hollow political grounds.

  All because are highly popular, it doesn’t mean they can convert it into actual votes come the May 2010 national elections.

  Jed during all these years, maintainmed a high liason with the residents. From Calaparan up to Barangay Balibago, as they say. But , all he is doing are mere palliatives to the core of social ills – poverty, joblessness, medical care, and education.

  He is the Grand White Knight with all the political trappings
  that will govern the City wanting of political frameworks – if not backbone, in facing the challenges in the next decade.

  If this is not mediocrity, it shows “baby’s milk” in his mouth.

  It holds true with Mayor Jerry Trenas. While he initiated
  initiated structural reforms in the local governance and social programs, it failed to deliver and benefit the “poorest among the poor.”

  Carlo
• 2
  rouan gomez
  November 15th, 2009 21:21

  Sir Vego
  My take is that Agurang Niel is concentrating the 20% IRA Devt Fund in the 4th District NOT to defeat Ferj but to make Boboy win in that area. The sales pitch would be: “Damu man ko nabulig diri sa 4th District. Kon may kumpromiso kamo kay Ferj, boto kamo sa iya. Pero pwede nyo man buligan si Boboy kay indi man sila kontrahanay ni Ferj.”
  Also, ngaa i-gasto ni Niel sa Cadingli-an ang kwarta kay balwarte ina ni Oca Garin?
  Anyway, I think 2nd District will be the key. Ma daug si Boboy sa 5th kag sa 4th; daug si Art sa 3rd kag sa 1st. Please note nga mas damu voters and 4th kag 5th compared to 3rd and 1st. It’s a matter of voters’ turn-out and extent of margin. All things equal, 2nd district ang tie-breaker.

Leave a Reply