YPS

While its during big national events or grim national disasters that we inevitably see the general incompetence of our government, I dare say that it is in the day to day, micro events that we see the incompetence of the public in general. And unfortunately it is this incompetence by the general public that opens up the entire process of governance to opportunities for corruption.

Over the past two years an example of this has been unfolding, literally, right in front of my eyes.

There is a stretch of road between Ayala Avenue and De la Rosa street in Makati. This stretch, a short segment of Salcedo St , is barely a hundred meters long but on each side are high foot traffic areas which results in a constant stream of people going back and forth. On one side of the street is a call center, a local burger joint, and a foreign coffee franchise. On the other side is that parking lot of Makati Medical.

On one end of this short stretch is an underpass network that connects the four corners made by Ayala and De la Costa. On the other end , at the stoplight, is a pedestrian crossing.

For over two years ( I moved into the neighborhood about that time) this street has been divided by a row of yellow metal posts and three lengths of thick blue cord. The obvious intent of which is to herd (like cattle, the dumbest animals on earth) the short cutting pedestrians to both ends of the street so that there, they can cross in safety, either with the change of the stoplight or under the busy intersection.

For over the same amount of time I have wondered about this arrangement.

Wouldn’t a sign suffice? Every day I look a the almost forty posts and tens of meters of cord and wonder; why not signs. Isn’t one of our Pinoy bragging points our ability to speak and read English? Ok how about we do a Quebec thing. Dual language signs.No pedestrian crossing. Bawal tumawid dito. Nice, simple, and cheap. And taken from the perspective that thirty percent of government funds are lost to corruption we could have saved a nice bit of money on the initial build.

To add consternation to my puzzlement, every day I see people, men, women, nurses from the hospital, call center agents, professionals in suits, women in heels, pulling the ropes apart like a boxer entering a ring, risking life and limb, crossing this street in the middle, all to save themselves a few meters of walking.

I guess just because you have money, wear a professional uniform, and have a job that doesn’t mean you’re not stupid and ignorant.

Then, as a dash of irony, I see people, dressed in what appears to be rags and tatters, looking across the ropes and posts, furrowed brows , thinking of what to do, and with an air of decision decide to walk the extra few steps to the proper crossing points.

God bless the huddled masses eh?

As a final blow against encouraging civilized behavior, the city government, instead of responding by having enforcers implement the law, has instead chosen, of course, to now built a permanent structure made of a six inch concrete base and an almost solid wall of steel bars extending the length of the entire stretch. Its high enough not be be lept over and youd have to be Ashlee Simpson to make it through the bars.

Why enforce a law when a permanent structure can make more money?

And who gave the local government the justification to build a permanent structure in the middle of the street?

The wrong place crossing, marching morons did.

No wonder they call members of congress representatives.