“BUILD, BUILD, BUILD” HAS BEEN A BIG SUCCESS!
In the last 50 years, Infrastructure spending has averaged 2.8 % of PH GDP. In the three years of DU30’s admin, infra spending has doubled as a percentage of our GDP. In PNoy’s last year 2015, government spent P486 billion. Last year, 2018, government spent P803.6B, almost double. Infra spending will be about 6-7% of GDP for the last three years. Sonny D. projects that our poverty level at 28% of population will be cut to half at DU30’s term end. (Summarized from “LIKE IT IS” by PeterWallacePDI.28Nov.www.inquirer.net)
For me, the “BUILD-3x” program would be a dismal failure if (1) the Davao-Samal bridge (2) the Mindanao Railway projects and (3) the Davao International Airport do not get started to be built.
DAVAO — REMEMBRANCES OF THINGS PAST
In 1948, when we first moved to Davao from GenSan, we rented one of the houses in Guino-o compound, Anda. There, we were neighbors with the SISONS (Norman, Nelson, Emil), the LICERALDES (Pong, Boy, Nora), and the CUTLERS (Charlie, Eddie-boy) — and nearby, the QUITAINS (Melchor, Jimmy), the MACASAETS, the PAVINOS, the KIMPOS, the PAMINTUANS and the DIZONS.
It was a lot of fun because we had lots of playmates — and our playground was in front of our houses. Kindergarten was at the Brokenshire UCCP pre-school, where my classmates were Toti Morales, Alvin Babista, Gilbert Abellera, Ken Angeles — whom I would be pals with from grade school to high school. My brother and I spent our GS and HS years at A de D (1950-1961).
In 1953, we transferred to Juna Subdivision, in a house built by Ramon Basa as our architect. That was a timely move since that year, PWC was opened where my mother started teaching — where she would spend her career, eventually becoming president of not only PWC but also PWU Manila.
What was the Villa Abrille’s Juna Subd. — Davao’s first subdivision like in the 1950-60s? When we first lived there, the only houses that I remember were the Abella’s and the Bastida’s. Juna—an airfield during WW2 — was full of cogon and bomb-holes where we could catch dalag. The streets were not asphalted, full of potholes, and had a lot of wild stray dogs.
To go to Times Beach was a major adventure since one had to traverse corn fields and coconut trees. But it was worth it since Times Beach was pristine, clean — and unlike Talomo Beach (the public beach then) — was very private (no beachside stores and squatters!) The PWC was an all-girls school while AdD was an all-boys school. But AdD college department was CO-ED at the start — even when the other Ateneos were all-male. The AdD grade school was in Jacinto while the high school was in Matina. AdD had a power house basketball tradition where Bangoy, Frankie Rabat and Loretto Carbonell starred— and later at the NCAA in Manila. Asandas Balchand ( now a Jesuit ) won the National “Voice Of Democracy ” oratorical contest in 1957 — a feat duplicated by Nick Socana, who later became an NPA and killed by the military during the Martial Law years.
♪ “THEIR CUPS RUNNETH OVER…
… WITH GREED!” ♪
Du30 was at his un-presidential worst behavior when he berated, lambasted, and cursed (P.I. + F.U.) the Zobel-Ayala (Manila Water) and M.V. Pangilinan (Maynilad) for the disadvantageously onerous water concessionaire contract. This led to a P7.4 billion “AWARD” by the int’l court of arbitration – an amount to be paid by our government (i.e. our PEOPLE) to Manila Water.
But Digong was WRONG!
He should ALSO have berated, lambasted, P.I.’d and FxxK YOU: FVR and GMA. FVR- for APPROVING the contract and GMA for EXTENDING it to 2037. FVR and GMA should also be charged with “economic plunder, sabotage, and rape.” Records show that between 2009 and 2018, Manila Water averaged P5.5B/year while Maynilad P6.46B/year. So, what “losses” are they crying about?!
