This is a piece written and posted in the Internet by Victor Coquilla of Antequera, Bohol who is now US-based, a copy of which was sent to us through e-mail. This piece has so far generated reactions from Vir Abueva, Nick T. Pernia and Urso A. Penalosa. We will print the reactions in future issues. Here it goes.

"Once upon a time, when I was still a high school student at Christ the King Academy in Antequera, I would always look forward for the weekend to come because my basic instinct would always urge me to go to Tagbilaran (it was not a city at that time) in order to watch movies, stroll along its boulevards, and just enjoy its beauty.

The grandeur of the cathedral, the magnanimity of the capitol building, the beautiful array of stores, office buildings, and movie houses along the main avenue, and the beautiful sceneries all around were just so captivating to capture the admiration of anyone who would come by. But that was long time ago.

Years, decades, and scores have passed. And today I'm sorry to say that Tagbilaran, after it became a city has lost its grandeur and beauty and have degenerated into what everyone have told me, "the ugly city."

It is really very sad to imagine how and why the once beautiful Tagbilaran turned into the ugly Tagbilaran City. I don't have any inkling of what the reasons maybe but according to many old folks that I talked to, "the reasons why Tagbilaran turned into the ugly Tagbilaran City are politics and the dirty politicians."

I really don't have any vague idea why they blame politics and the dirty politicians.

Maybe you can tell me. Just like many other Filipino compatriots always longing to visit, see, and enjoy the beauty of our homeland once again, my wife and I traveled from Dixon, California to Antequera, Bohol to see our relatives, friends, and just anybody we would meet for the first time.

We stayed in our vacation house in Antequera from September 29, 2006 to November 16, 2006 at which time we departed bound for our home in Dixon, California. Three or four times a week I would drive to Tagbilaran City (which is about 18 kilometers from Antequera) to buy some stuff or maybe to accomplish some important business matters. And believe it or not, driving around Tagbilaran City is a complete nightmare.

You can definitely imagine that you are driving on the surface of the moon and you have to know how to wiggle around because all around you, are those tricycles with only about eight inches of separation between your car's extremities and that of the tricycles'.

I don't have any vague idea why these tricycles are allowed to ply their business along the busy streets such as the CPG Avenue. Somebody told me that maybe the tricycle drivers are giving bribes to the police and to some politicians so they will be allowed to ply their business anywhere they want. They should be banned from traveling along the CPG Avenue because tourists and travelers from other towns of Bohol will pass that way.

At this point in time, road construction is simultaneously going on along the whole stretch of the CPG Avenue starting from in front of the Cathedral all the way to the cockpit area in Dao District. The whole stretch of the road was bulldozed and scraped.

Canals were dug on each side of the road to allow for the construction of the drainage system.

The situation is obviously creating unbearable sufferings to the people of Tagbilaran City, the travelers from other towns, the tourists, the students, the teachers, the school children, the businessmen, and the storeowners.

Obviously, the construction planners were remiss in their consideration of the plight of those who would be directly or indirectly affected by the construction. In short, no government officials cared. As you drive along the side streets, you need to be extra careful and extra vigilant because there are many potholes on the streets, tricycles traveling all around you, and pedestrians cris-crossing the streets everywhere.

Adding to it is the fact that there are no lanes that you can follow. Each driver is forced to imagine and create his own lane - any space which is temporarily empty. And when you approach an intersection you just have to keep driving aggressively but carefully because there are no stop signs and nobody will make way for you.

The drivers there do not understand the word courtesy - especially the tricycle drivers. Along the sides of the streets, you can barely see any sidewalk because the sidewalks are either occupied by street vendors or the property owners extend their fence or their property to the edge of the sidewalk.

Due to this condition the pedestrians, including some dogs, are forced to walk along the sides of the street making it too difficult for drivers to maneuver safely. I can't imagine why this situation is being tolerated by the authorities of Tagbilaran City.

When you look up while walking or driving along the streets your eyes will surely be dazzled and cringed by what you can see. All kinds of wires dangling diagonally, perpendicularly, and whatever - look like a puzzle which could take forever to solve.

And please hold on to your wallet and/or purse because pickpockets and beggars are all over.

The unfinished Agora Market by any standard is a complete eyesore. It could resemble any of those ruins resulting from wars and/or any disastrous calamity. I have no idea and I cannot muster any clue why the officials of Tagbilaran City are not doing anything to correct this situation.

For sure, something can be done if only somebody with authority will do something about it. Folks, when you take a vacation to the Philippines please visit Tagbilaran City and your experience will surely make you believe it or not."

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