Discipline is one way to skin the cat

Whoever coined the statement "there are many ways to skin a cat" must also have the traffic problem in his mind. He must have a certain way, yet unknown to most of us, to solve our traffic woes. Presently, we are confronted with this modern scourge of congested roads in our daily travel. The problem is seemingly daunting but it may not be entirely without solution. It is a tribute to the resourcefulness of our authorities that to respond to this problem, they have proffered many bright ideas.

In Manila, we are aware that the vicinity of the Baclaran church is, for years, an ugly sight of undisciplined personalities. Chaos, ironically, is the order. There is no traffic to speak of. Some vendors have their stalls erected, apparently permanently, on the road while the ambulant peddlers set up collapsible stands on other areas. Jeepney drivers, on their part, menacingly appropriated some areas as their own terminal. The otherwise wide road of about eight lanes has been reduced to just about two passable lanes.

The other day, we saw one way of skinning the proverbial cat. Mr. Tim Orbos, of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority cleared the road within the Baclaran church of the many forms of obstructions. Mr. Orbos and his corps of determined workers demolished the structures that were built on the road, removed some temporary stalls and towed parked vehicles away. The result of their efforts made the vehicular traffic flow freely and allowed pedestrians unhampered movement.

We do not have a Tim Orbos, here in Cebu City. But we have His Honor, Mayor Tomas R. Osmeña, someone perhaps definitely better. In terms of authority, Mr. Orbos, who is only an appointed officer, does not carry the weight of a duly elected official like Mayor Osmeña.

I like to believe that our mayor wants to project himself as a man whose supposed leadership is structured on discipline. When, for instance, he, many years ago, tripped the barbecue stall of a certain Willer Sanchez, he did that because it blocked pedestrian traffic. Mr. Sanchez had to be disciplined. It was in the spirit of discipline when the mayor welded bars at the gate of the basilica.

The mayor can train his discipline on those people who have appropriated the sidewalks of that road which accesses to the Ayala Business Park from the Hipodromo and Mabolo junction. As we daily see, there is no more sidewalk left. Pedestrians are forced to walk on the street. Every part of the known sidewalk has been devoted to mercantile undertakings. There are eateries occupying what would have otherwise been walkways. Some merchants have put up display cases containing an infinite number of assorted merchandise while others have become too bold as to convert portions of the road as extensions of their commercial enterprise.

The mayor can do better than what Mr. Orbos did in skinning the cat called unruly Baclaran traffic. Using his brand of discipline, Mayor Osmeña can clear the road and the sidewalk of all forms of obstructions. When he gives the road back to vehicular traffic, he, in this particular area, will have made the access to Ayala easier. Similarly, when the mayor disciplines some of his constituents from blocking the sidewalks, he will have ensured the safety of the pedestrians.

The remaining question is difficult to formulate. But let me try to say can the mayor show us what discipline is?