The City of Tagbilaran wants to hear concrete steps regarding the water drainage situation in the next few days. This is because we heard the Medicine Man on the Drainage Problem - Engineer Cecil Corloncito is in town. Last we heard, Engr. Corloncito is no ordinary environmentalist-engineer - he is ISO-accredited, an international recognition for excellence.

But off the butt, we daresay somebody develops some balls to cut off the illegal connections of those (30) persons and establishments to the new CPG drainage system unless they sanitize the mess they dump there first with their own septic tanks. Their names have been talked and written about over the radios and in newspapers, concerned Tagbilaranons can almost memorize their names. But this week, the team of Engr. Corloncito, City Health Department and City Hall will inspect who among the 30 names already installed their own septic tanks.

After City Hall solves that above public relations problem, Engineer Corloncito should advise the City Mayor regarding the specs of the water treatment facility before the outfall cascades into the crystal blue waters off the City Port. Give the City info regarding - how much its cost is, its source of financing, revenue generation therefrom and the time line by which the city folks will still have to suffer before the whole thing works.

We learned that in some days, the stinking output from the Graham avenue connection was released to the seawaters to avoid flooding in the city. Pun allowed, it was a sad choice between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. We cannot go on equivocating like this forever. We have to take the bull by the horns now.

We understand that the City Hall team had already sent water waste samples off CPG Avenue to Manila for analysis. Off-hand analysis seems to indicate, according to the invited engineer-environmentalist, no presence of feces and very high degree of contamination. However, we caution to add that planning a waste water treatment and drainage system is "an investment for the future." The toxicity, pollution and volume of waste will certainly not be the same three or five years from now from what it is today - as the city grows geometrically. We hope the investigating team takes heed of this fact.

And on the technical side - let's be more exacting with our contractors. That P5-million uptown drainage system ain't working, son - try savoring the stench and odor emanating near the market and the Island City Mall. Let's not deal again with those same contractors - if they mess up with little things, they certainly won't do better in bigger ones - like the big water treatment facility.

Mayor Lim must prove there are no "Untouchables" in the city. If the violators (those without septic tanks) refuse to put their own waste treatment facility off their gates, then they should be slapped the "user's tax" immediately so the city can pay off the loan that would be used to finance the big waste treatment facility. That is only fair and democratic.

If we don't act soon, we will have flooded streets leading to decay, stench violating the sensitivities of our olfactory nerves, Paradise lost in the beautiful Tagbilaran City Bay and a democracy that doesn't seem to work.

The City in a State of Decay - the Gateway to Paradise?

We are sure Mayor Dan Lim realizes all these and will soon act with dispatch.

ATTENTION: GOVERNOR RICO

The plea of a group of concerned Boholanos that we take a second hard look at the Proposed Airport (with international standards) in Panglao should be listened to and the issues discussed in a sober, logical manner.

To our mind, the appeal was for clarification - not outright rejection of the Airport Panglao plans. Their one page message was all too clear on that. It is not addressed properly when answered that not all signatories were aware their names were included in the appeal. Even one citizen - with sound basis for debating the issue - as Dr Ernesto Pernia does - must be heard if the resolution of the argument potentially redounds to the benefit of the whole province.

But just to accept the Governor's challenge, a copy of the signed petition will be presented to him, where eighty to ninety percent will have affirmed their stand, according to the Group of Concerned Boholanos.

It is not answered by insisting that the Panglao Airport is a done deal - because even the ZTE-NBN deal - already signed by GMA who personally flew to China - was aborted amidst so much controversy. In fact, the lone question remains - if there was no basis for its cancellation, why abort it?

The concerned Boholanos had soundly argued that based on the number of tourists, the land area (compared to neighbors Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia) the Philippines with eight international airports already compared to Thailand (6), Malaysia (6) and Indonesia (9) - certainly may not need another one for now.

Dr. Pernia's thesis on the matter is printed elsewhere in this issue.

He further argued that money is fungible - and P4 billion for an airport could be funneled to more basic needs of an impoverished Boholano people (1 out of 3 are in a state of poverty) where a rice crisis is a real nightmare and where even the Panglao island itself does not have a steady supply of potable water. The impact on the fragile environment and the threat to biodiversity are likewise areas of concern that cannot just be brushed aside.

We say let's take away our pre-conceived notions, our sense of hubris and finality about things, our external considerations and get together, debate and think together what's best for the Panglao Airport project as it impacts Boholanos.

We owe it to our children's future. Let's dialogue soon - and we sincerely hope that the governor will be there and exhibit the traits of truly a reasonable statesman.

For Comments: email to bingo_dejaresco@boholchronicle.com Or editor@boholchronicle.com