What do they mean by “repair”?

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor PATRICK PANGILINAN Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

That is an old, homespun truism that, despite its grammatical lapses, conveys a very practical and commonsensical advice to those who would tamper with something that is in good working condition, just for the sake of doing something.

Or perhaps gain something from the doing?

These are some thoughts that come to mind when one, particularly a resident of Bacolod City, sees what is being done to some of what to them, appeared to be good enough roads along Burgos Street, leading to Barangay Granada in the eastern part of the city.

Commuters and drivers who pass this road are surprised at what is happening to roads that had appeared to be still in good condition until recently when some overzealous official or engineer, or whatever, decided to break up large portions of the highway, and dig out big blocks of the cement that had been laid not to long ago, causing not only inconvenience to both drivers and travelers, but also danger because of the deep excavations in some areas.

Why were these roads considered priorities for such “repairs”? Just before the last election, residents were also surprised when, all of a sudden a thick layer of asphalt was laid over what were still very passable areas also at Burgos Street. In fact the asphalt layer had been reported to have caused accidents, especially to motorcycle and bicycle riders, because it caused a dangerous elevation on both sides of the middle lanes.

There are still many streets and roads all over the city that have not been paved, or repaired, especially when some of them were destroyed by floods. Haven’t those who undertook the unnecessary repairs of the Burgos road never seen or heard of them? Who will be advantaged by the project which, undoubtedly, is costing millions again?

We understand this is not a project of Bacolod City, Burgos being a national road. Then whose bright idea is this obviously unnecessary repair, and, more important, who is benefitting from it? In the light of the unimaginable cases of corruption being dug up in government recently, the answer to this is very important.*