COME and let’s talk about the old issue of roads being destroyed when they are still in good condition when heavy and light vehicles still pass through them.
I remember a group of curious people laughing while watching the demolition of the undamaged road. “Sinisira nila ang wala pang damage na kalsada. Katawa-tawa”, Destroying an undamaged road is laughable, they said
Let’s get to the subject matter. I also have the same way of thinking as most Filipinos and ask myself why the road that is in good condition is destroyed while there are many dilapidated roads such as the national road, provincial road and barangay road. Because we have no knowledge of engineering work, that’s why we can’t answer the big question WHY?
The title of my topic in this article is “May Kwarta daw sa Kalsada?” (Is there money on the street?). A typical answer can be said that there are many coins scattered on the road and sometimes you can pick up twenty, fifty or hundred pesos on the busy road if you’re lucky so, what will we do if we go to the street and collect money there? They say there is money on the road. You know, but these are not my point of view.
My memory came back to our friendship with the former district engineer and friend of media Engr. Saturnino De Leon, of the Bulacan First Engineering District Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways during that time which used to have an office opposite Camp Alejo Santos, in the vicinity of the Bulacan Capitol. We also had a friend who was a contractor from Malolos, Engr. Guillermo “Emong” Manalaysay.
I mentioned Ka Emong, because when he wins the bidding for the public project, we are told for example that he was awarded an asphalt paving project, he will say that the income is guaranteed because of the road asphalting project. Because of what Ka Emong said, Manila Bulletin reporter Bert Padilla joked and told Ka Emong “It’s true that there is money on the road”.
Many people know that the funds used in public projects come from the taxes of the Filipino people, because the national government funds the agencies that carry out infrastructure projects. But do our countrymen also know that the legislators in Congress have a budget that is called pork barrel funds which is also called the Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF
Since the congressmen of the various legislative districts were given PDAF amounting to multi million pesos, the said funds will be distributed to the provinces, towns, cities and barangays. All that is needed is the program of works and the suitable areas for the project and when everything is settled, then the contractors will come in. Project bidding will be conducted under the leadership of the bids and award committee. Whichever bidder has the lowest price for the project is the winner.
But wait, is it true that there are dummy constructors conspiring to get the desired project? If the BAC is also playing with ‘fire’, such an irregularity will indeed happen. What is this modus operandi for the boys that is also called ‘padulas’? There is something called ‘SOP’, what is it for and who is it for? Just ask the ‘dilaw na buwan’ yellow moon. (UnliNews Online)
