Doomed City

by

Ricardo F. Maulion

(9^th Installment to My 500 Words Per Day Challenge- January 10, 2014)

            “WHY!” commented one of the prompt response requesting  clarification in a shout-out fashion on my earlier post.  Like other concerned environmentalists, he might have fallin’ too on the trap  and can’t help his way out but demanding qualification for his freedom. But no and deliberately no way giving  my ten cents answer wanting to put my theory in  proper perspective never mind not really that comprehensive.

 It’s good to return the compliment as relevant articles ( Bridges . . . )  on the subject talking out loud on the issue was partly ventilated. But like St. John the Baptist that article just  fell on deaf ear dies its natural death, its wisdom and relevance  waylaid in a corner nearby. Here I traced how those in authority screwed ecology of development what  otherwise would have been sustained if we are to give ecological balance of CDO its justice. The  likes  of the Church in the case of St. Augustine Cathedral; government in the case of City Hall, COA across with its classic take on honesty “. . .  Be  honest anyway even if others are not!”; institution the likes of Liceo University - all eating up legal easements, river channel in the guise of development. Never mind the informal settlers as they too volunteered to be used by the Mayor as willing victims to be used as buffer zones voters to beef up his dwindling popularity during election.  This until I found a relevant proper forum like this  to ventilate my take once more on the issue.  

            Cagayan de Oro as doomed City?  The graffiti on the wall has been written many decades past! You need not to beg the question. It’s been there only we have elected stupid guys who don’t have any understanding of ecology of development Maybe authorities or politics messing up with people just continue ignoring  it. It might also be that concerned authorities just don’t give damn until  the issue  blows right before  their faces. 
          
          That exactly happened early  Dec. 17 of 2011 when Sendong crushed its wrath killing more than thousand people and destroying properties! "If people would humble themselves  and hear my call "would have saved many lives, a line from the song Heal Our Land reminds. But no Mayor Emano had even the guts of begging the issue: “Why am I to be blamed for Sendong? Do I have what it takes to conspire with nature!” Nice irrelevant begging of issue reason that Cagayan de Oro taxpayers initiated signature campaign Resign Movement, a failed attempt; however, would throw him out from City Hall during the ensuing election installing Oca Moreno as City Mayor later.

Cagayan de Oro City, the City of Golden Friensdhip is situated right  below sea level. Kailangan pa bang e memorize yan when several studies have that as bottom line! No less than people from DENR even issued relevant orders to City Hall to vacate Isla de Oro in Consolacion and anywhere else upstream because said area are sandbars! Ironically though what ensued specially after Sendong were begging of the issue instead between the stupid Emano administration and DENR when the latter was only doing its job and obviously has the authority.

Thanks that my residence was situated right at Terryhills overlooking the City otherwise me and my family would have been rendered mere statistics by Sendong too. Sendong was really that frenzied  as part of Bulua right below of Terryhills on  the other side was also inundated prompting people from Iponan, Barra evacuated to safer and higher ground.

People at Consolacion would later revealed to me that water reached alrealdy as far as UCCP at Puntod, maybe more than hundred meters away from Isla de Oro. Wow, that’s another indication of how dangerous Cagayan de Oro City to live. Similar experience  happened at Macasandig with the once river channel was converted into biggest swimming pool of the world with vans, houses, wheels got stuck floating around. Ironically, this area is now transformed  into The Centre or Rotunda where fun run, concert and other forum are held. But pray that you guys are not caught in between when another strong typhoon comes along or you too would end up as another statistics.  But hold your breath, expand your vision and you could see the still on-going construction of  huge Paseo del Rio its river wall further extending to the river. Here Joey Ayala’s “kahit sapa (at dagat) ay nagawan n’yo pa ng bakod . . . . “ or to that effect applies.

 The great Architect Jun Palafox,  designed this latest venture of  CDO as economic hub. This fellow was lately a recipient of another award for continuously carving his name in the world of architecture. I tried to post my reservation in a group page where he is a member hopefully to clarify his point. For isn’t it that premium should be given to this once river channel.  Again nosebalasi. That’s the last ever post I had with that group page as I volunteered right away dropping off my membership as protest for that award giving body a guy who succumbed to politics eating away his avowed principle of saving an environment. Now this guy, sits beside Sen. Lacson as Consultant to Rehabilitation Czar. Concerned party reading this piece better ditch him off as Mr. Palafox has already suffered identity crisis – development for whom? – profit and destruction as in the case of Cagayan de Oro City!

Seems that I’m a little bit engrossed here. But I can’t help expressing my take on the issue no matter the costs among stakeholders might be. And you’re right, it is no brainer nor you need to be a  rocket scientist to understand the issue. Here’s the unverified catch, unconfirmed report from the grapevine that has been playing dirty in my mind – flood might even reach as far as rooftop of Gaisano City, not a far fetched idea as water seeks on its own level and that CDO is really below sea level. This on top of many canals whose waterways  were converted into malls, pig pens and settlements of informal settlers clogging the passage of water draining to Macajalar Bay.   Who really knows as water gauging from the level water went through at Puntod and Macasandig during Sendong. Why not let our minds get  some nuggets of wisdom from that tragedy.

 Storm visits in cycles from years, decades to century. Pray that not one of this cycle would not be that strong and devastating like Sendong or Super typhoon Yolanda or we would too soon wake up from a nightmare blown away for lack of vigilance and no appreciation of culture of life. Love life and so be it!