Dream on

Lyricists Bruce Springsteen asked in his “River”: Is a dream a lie if it doesn’t come true, or is it something worse?

Last week’s announced “explosive” came out to be a dud, like the grenade of the PNP’s 44 SAF who were massacred last month. It was a let-down in that Monico Puentevella’s claimed accomplishment turned out to be a dream and wish that didn’t come true. Whether it is a lie or worse, is up to the people to determine because the facts are clear about his own claimed accomplishment on this score.

The news report in all media last Monday said that Puentevella claims that “the sugar road planned in 2003 and the Bacolod Economic Highway as proposed recently by Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia, are one and the same.” He added that he has “documents indicating that the 21.67 kilometers sugar road would have cost P622.896 million in 2003 compared to the 21.758 kilometer Bacolod Economic Highway which costs P790,534,835,72 at present prices.”

To bolster his claim, he added that “the sugar road has three feasibility studies while the Bacolod Economic High that has already been approved has none.”

He likewise claimed that “the construction of the sugar road of 2003 will start by the first quarter of 2016” and that he had met with DPWH officials who allegedly told him “there was bidding for the consultant of the project.”

The problem with dreams that are not inspired or directly coming from the Holy Spirit is that the scenes are either contradictory, they are incoherent or they do not make sense from the facts the dreamer narrates. Let’s examine the “facts” that Puentevella dished out to the media.

If the sugar road and the Bacolod Economic Highway are the same, in what way or area are they the same? Puentevella should have shown a map where his claimed sugar road would pass. He did not mention a single barangay or trail where his sugar road would pass. The only indication of his sugar road is the reference to that of 3rd District Rep. Alfredo Benitez. The Benitez road is clearly identified and in fact is ongoing. This means that the Benitez road (I have not heard or read him say it is a sugar road) has nothing to do with Bacolod as it would only link Murcia directly to Talisay.

Perhaps Puentevella is just trying to make it appear, or is insinuating that he and Benitez are working together, or that Benitez’ road is also part of his? Consider the report that Puentevella thanked Rep. Alfredo Benitez (Neg. Occ. 3rd District) “for following up the sugar road project.” Was Puentevella part of the Benitez road project, and his wish conjoined with his? Is he trying to drag Benitez into his dream as if the latter would validate his claim?

To repeat, Puentevella said that the “construction of the sugar road of 2003 will start by the first quarter of 2016.” Under which fiscal year will his sugar road he funded that it can start by early next year? Since he has not been a congressman since 2013 to the present, the only conclusion is that the money was there prior to 2013. Puentevella should tell the Bacolod constituents, that indeed, the money was there since, or even before 2013. If that is so, was not the money reverted to the General Fund and re-appropriated? This should be interesting since, according to Rep. Evelio Leonardia, the fund for the Bacolod Economic Highway is yet to be appropriated in the 2016 General Appropriations Act. Leonardia should know, because he is a member of the House Committee on Appropriations.

 In a word, Puentevella should reveal where the money for his sugar road would come from, and thus work can begin the first quarter of next year. Then perhaps we can believe his dream is coming true.

Moreover, how can Puentevella ask the DPWH to start construction when he claims that the Bacolod Economic Highway has no feasibility study? In this sense, how can he declare that the BEH is the same as his sugar road? By the way, will he reveal the details of the three studies he said were done for the sugar road? In this way we’ll know whether the sugar road and the BEH are the same banana.

He even has almost similar costing, so it would not be difficult to reveal the studies of his sugar road, starting with where it will begin, pass and end.

Let’s continue next week whether or not he gives the details.*

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