If finally the Samal Island-Davao City connector bridge project will be realized after years of being in the drawing board, how will its lighting be undertaken? Would it be half Davao Light and Power Co.-supplied (for the Davao City side), and the other half of the bridge will be lighted by Northern Davao Electric Cooperative (on the IGaCoS side)? This could be a strong likelihood.
If such an arrangement will happen, what is the likely situation of the bridge lighting facility? Many are saying that the Davao City side will have a steady light available because it will be supplied from a stable provider. On the Samal side though, it would be a big question because right now the island city is suffering from a daily dose of long power interruptions because of the unstable supply coming from NORDECO.
In fact even the completion of the Northern Davao power distributors project – a submarine cable – is not a guarantee that the stability and quality of power transmitted to the tourism destination island can be attained.
So, even if the submarine cable project will be finished ahead of the bridge, setting aside a substantial power reserve for the lighting of the island’s side of the span would mean a huge dent on the supply that is supposed to augment the electricity requirement of the island city.
We believe that this is one possibility that the government of IGaCoS should be wary about even at this early stage. Or else, it might again have to make some priorities in the utilization of power in the island. That is, either sacrifice the power quality in some areas of the island itself to be able to have the city side of the bridge lighted during the night to maintain its aesthetics; or let the bridge beauty during nights suffer due to lack of lighting so the island residents enjoy power stability in their homes or business establishments.
Of course we are just thinking much, much ahead. The fate of the bridge is still uncertain although there are reports of pre-construction activities.
As to the submarine cable project, Mayor Al David Uy of the island city, is still far from optimistic it would be completed on time and that it could result in a much improved electric service in his city.
Meanwhile, all the band aid solutions are still in effect. However, according to Mayor Uy, these are far from effective other than effectively adding more decibel to the growing noise of a fast developing tourist destination city.
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Now First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos is joining the fray between her husband President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and the family of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte. Has she just joined the imbroglio, or caused it all along?
Yes, claiming that the Vice President “has already crossed the line”, Araneta Marcos lambasted the VP to the extent of saying that her husband is ready to protect her and insinuating that she could not have been in her present position (as the second highest official of the land and Education Secretary) had she not been in tandem with Marcos, Jr. during the 2022 national election.
But wait, VP Sara garnered a much higher number of votes than Araneta-Marcos’ husband. Meaning, he could be the one carried by the Vice President’s immense popularity owing to her being a former President Duterte daughter?
Now we are starting to be convinced that there is validity to earlier talks that the President’s wife wields substantial power in influencing his decision in a lot of things including those that have something to do with governance. And she has not even shown projects beneficial to the greater mass of the Filipinos like what her mother-in-law former First Lady Imelda R. Marcos did during her time.
Meanwhile, we agree with VP Sara’s keeping a “no comment” on issues related to the President’s handling of the West Philippine Sea problem including the role that the VP’s father allegedly had on the now tensioned-filled matter. After all, crafting foreign policies of the country is solely the responsibility of the President. Yes, he may or may not listen to his advisers, but at the end of the day the final say belongs to him.
But what we believe made VP Eara vulnerable to the scrutiny of her detractors who may have been working at the behest of the First Lady and the traditional opposition, is her rather ambivalent manner with which she comports herself. Yes, she refuses to say anything about the WPS position of President BBM and the scathing attacks of her father and brothers on the Marcos, Jr.’s administration. But she also made herself conspicuously present in the rallies where her father launched the damning criticism against the incumbent.
Now the number of sectors urging the President to kick her out as Secretary of the DepEd is growing and the decibel of their call is getting louder.
For how long will the President be able to resist the pressure, we have no idea. But we are aware the President would not like to add one more capable vocal nemesis to his Presidency.
And how long can VP Sara stand the heat? We believe she’d rather let the President fire her than quitting on her own. By getting fired the VP will have established a better launching pad for her counter moves – and more disastrous ammunition, no doubt.
