Without bridges more lives will be lost

As a long-time resident of Aklan and as a leader of the Lord’s flock in the province, I am dismayed to see infrastructure projects, which are much needed for countryside development, suspended by the Aquino administration on the grounds that their contracts are allegedly tainted with irregularities and are now the subject of investigations.

While the decision to suspend hews to the administration’s thrust to weed out corruption in government, from a socio-economic perspective I have some reservations about the wisdom of such actions: while the administration is taking its own sweet time to finish the investigations, the lives and the means of livelihood of those who would benefit the most from these projects hang in the balance.

These projects are funded by taxpayers’ money. They have been evaluated and approved by the proper and very capable government agencies. Is it fair to stop the projects just because of the allegation of only one person?

Has the administration forgotten that it is the principle that serves man, not the other way around? It is the people who should benefit from “daang matuwid,” not the daang matuwid benefiting from the people. Also, the daang matuwid is not meant to enhance the public image of those who want to perpetuate themselves in a position of power.

To cite an example, I learned that the ombudsman is set to probe bridge projects being undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways. It would seem our incumbent public officials have not realized the implications, much less the impact, of the worsening climate change. Despite the manifest disastrous effects of climate change our elected officials seem to have learned nothing.

For our people’s sake, let’s build immediately the 15,000 bridges that our country lacks, not to mention the 67 bridges in rural areas all over the country that recent Typhoons “Pedring” and “Quiel” destroyed. Without them—I’m not exaggerating—more lives will be lost, including those of children. So, let’s proceed immediately with some of the bridge projects in the rural areas. We only have until the next typhoon to save lives. One life lost is one loss too many.

—REV. FR. JOSE M. ESTOLLOSO JR.,

parochial vicar,

San Antonio de Padua Parish,

Buruanga, Aklan