16 Years Behind and Counting

There is now a lot of talk and action in the City Government of Tacloban about terminating (rescinding, in legal parlance) the contract of the current operator of the New Bus Terminal. The moves are supposedly in preparation for the establishment of a bus terminal in the Marasbaras area that will service buses and passenger jeepneys coming through the southern route of the city.

I recall that in December 1995, during her first term, City Councilor Malou Go-Soco delivered a privilege speech (in the 6 th Sangguniang Panlungsod) that resulted in the recommendation to the City Mayor to terminate the contract due to violations committed by the operator. The recommendation was not implemented. A few years later (in the 7 th Sangguniang Panlungsod), the same recommendation was made by the Sangguniang Panlungsod. Again the incumbent Mayor did not follow it.

Now, in 2003 or eight years after Councilor Go-Soco pointed out the urgency of terminating the contract, the present administration is mobilizing various departments to terminate the contract and put up a bus terminal in the southern entrance of Tacloban City. My prediction is: They are facing a long legal battle. (But this article is not about the niceties of the contract, so I will not delve into that.)

The number in the title of this column is 16, I have only mentioned 8

Here's the 8.

The City Government will soon float bonds to borrow funds and put up a new bus terminal and public market at the cost of P335 million in the site of the present city garbage dump.

I pointed out in a series of five articles I wrote in May and June this year, that this project will put the City Government in serious financial difficulty from 2006 to 2011 (assuming it is implemented this year) because it will heavily subsidize by around P50 million a year for eight years the operation of this market and bus terminal. This means, major projects will have to be moved until after 2011 simply because the city government will not have any money to support any other major developmental project. A large chunk of the city budget will have to go to paying the maturing bonds (worth P300 million plus about P168 million in interest), This estimate is even optimistic. Suppose the projected income is not derived or that construction cost increases? The city's subsidy could go up to P80 million a year up to 2011. The pessimism is fueled by the fact that the city government, in this project will be acting as a real estate developer, an activity it has not shown to be competent to do.

So, that's it. The development of the city will be set back by 8 years. Eight plus 8 is 16. Simple arithmetic but with complex consequences for the people of Tacloban City.

One way of looking at the 2 8s is – the progress of this city has been set back 8 years by the inaction on the new bus terminal problem. It will also be set back 8 more years because of the bond float of P300 million for an ill-advised project.

Hence, the title: 16 years behind, and counting has been chosen. How many more decisions will be made that will set back the city's development?

Progress seems to be eluding the city as the other three cities of Eastern Visayas move on. Sometimes, I think the slogan “Onward Tacloban” is just that, a slogan – with no meaning at all. Worse, what has happened and what is happening is contrary to what the slogan is about. “Backward”, seems to be more appropriate.