Meaningful substance to a personal bias

The other day, I had a learning experience on my way to the university where I teach Law. After I got inside the taxi and told the driver my destination, I heard a rather keen insight from him. The chauffeur seemed unorthodox for his profession and sounded more persuasive than many of our known leaders.

He suggested we would drive to Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City, through the North Reclamation Area, turn right to V. Sotto Street in Barangay Tinago, Cebu City, then V. Gullas Street and on to my school. I muffled a protest because we were double backing that way. He agreed it was a longer by two kilometers on the basis of the new rates at P13.50 per kilometer or P27 for the two kilometers. But he explained the trip will be 20 minutes shorter than if we were to drive through the otherwise regular route because of heavy traffic. We would save P40 considering the new taxi fare adds P2 every minute. On the basis of that computation, we would save around P10.

He looked at our trip in a mathematical perspective. I was impressed. But efficiency was not the only thing on his mind. He had been driving for over 30 years. His length of service afforded him an observation that elicited a subdued smile from me for he spoke some truth and arguably hard facts against the city administration.

The horrible traffic woes Cebu City is experiencing ARE attributable to the monumental failure of Mayor Tomas Osmeña. For the 30 years the driver has been working, Osmeña too has been our mayor. The driver said Osmeña has not opened a single meter of new road all these years. The last infrastructure works that were done in 1992, these were the opening of Imus Street to link with M. J. Cuenco Avenue, the widening of V. Rama Avenue and B. Rodriguez Street.

But we all know that those were not Osmena’s projects. While the implementation took place during his first term as our mayor, the projects were conceptualized, planned and pursued by then governor Eduardo Gullas, as chairman of the previous Regional Development Council, and the late mayor Ronald Duterte. I said earlier I smiled while the driver had his monologue because he was correct. I, as a member of the city council then (1988 to 1992), personally knew that fact.

There were times in the past when the driver took passengers to mountain barangays. Those trips were stressful as the roads were in terrible condition. Osmeña, as mayor, never bothered to improve the mountain roads. The driver said he only observed some asphalting in the brief spell when Alvin Garcia was mayor.

To give additional information to the driver, I told him that I own small parcels of land in barangays Sirao and Paril. Osmeña never improved the roads there. I can say without fear of being contradicted that when Michael Rama was our mayor cement was poured in the mountain road networks.

This time, it was the driver who smiled. To draw a contrast between Osmeña’s mismanagement and Rama’s better brand of administration, I told him during Osmeña’s time, I had difficulty driving my pick-up to my farm but when Rama concreted the road, I could drive my Mercedes Benz there.

It is not every day we feel the real pulse of ordinary citizens. I was fortunate to hear from the taxi driver for I found in his narrative meaningful substance to what I thought was a biased perception.

‘During Osmeña’s time, I had difficulty driving my pick-up to my farm but when Rama concreted the road, I could drive my Mercedes Benz there.’