I was stupefied upon reading the news story titled “Huge ‘BATANGAS’ sign to rise on Taal Volcano island.” (Inquirer, 10/20/11) Excuse me, but can’t Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos and Vice Gov. Mark Leviste think of anything better than to imitate another Hollywood original? Are we Filipinos so wanting of our own “true, good and beautiful,” which must have inspired former First Lady Imelda Marcos to pave the way for such originals as the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex, San Juanico Bridge, Original Pilipino Music (OPM), the National Artist awards, the Heart, Lung and Kidney Centers of the Philippines, Bliss housing, etc.? I am not exactly a fan of the Marcoses, but let’s give her credit for spearheading changes in much of the Philippine landscape that made us look less poor and more touristy.
Now perhaps, we should give our thanks to the Ayalas, Sys, Gokongweis and some other corporate but humanitarian(?!) visionaries for the rise of people-friendly, tourist-impressive malls and condos that continue to spread out to our key cities, and give more Filipinos jobs and decent living spaces.
Perhaps all I really want to say is that if our leaders are into spending money for building structures, let them not be motivated by reasons of political braggadocio, power play or insecurity. Taal Volcano cannot be made more beautiful than it already is (whether seen from Tagaytay or from Batangas), especially not by a 14-meter-by-110-meter monstrosity of a sign that just wants to announce to tourists that it is situated and belongs to a certain province. Surely, God put Taal Volcano there without thinking of Batangas, or He would have given the province the volcano’s better view. Putting up that sign over that beautiful, natural landscape would be like having those large tarpaulin billboards (of brief-clad celebrities) that hover over the cityscape blocking the view of sculptured buildings, monuments, and, yes, the moon and stars that are now a rare sight even on less-polluted evenings.
Ladies and gentlemen of government, if you will build, why not work—for a change—with a unified vision and maximize the use of your public works (or whatever else) funds (your constituents’ taxes) for integrative priority ventures with both national and other local governments—to build more and better roads and bridges, parks, terminals, ports and, yes, railroads? I agree with Conrado de Quiros on the urgency of seriously reviving our train system as a boon to our economy, as it has raised life and commerce in American communities that the tracks run through. (“Trained,” Inquirer, 10/20/ 11) Now, that is something we shouldn’t mind imitating, right?
—CORA C. DESPABILADERAS,
San Francisco del Monte,
Quezon City