Dam some more

By Marifi Jara

QUELIMANE, Mozambique–One of the best legacies of the Portuguese colonization here is the Cahora (or sometimes Cabora) Bassa Dam on the long Zambezi River (we are here at the eastern end of that river). Like our San Roque Dam there, it is a hydroelectric facility that supplies stable power to this country. And stable electricity supply is something that most countries here in Africa do not have. In our recent trip to neighboring Malawi, I read in one of the local newspapers that they are suffering from the worst power supply problem in the continent (or is it the world?). I don’t know how it is now but back in 2006, power supply was on only every other day in Kampala, Uganda’s capital. And those were already the better times.

The Cahora Bassa Dam also supplies energy to Mozambique’s way-more-developed neighbor, South Africa, the continent’s poster child. That energy supply arrangement is one of the most important income sources of what is otherwise a rich-in-natural-resources but struggling Mozambique.

Can’t stress enough how electricity is such an important factor in the development of a place. And hydro-electric facility as a source of power is one of the most ingenuous partnerships between man and nature. Operate it well and it serves us well.

What I am driving at here is that the San Roque Dam is by no means evil in itself. It can only wreak hell if its operators are not just incompetent but have a devil-may-care attitude for the consequences of their incompetence.

In geek-speak, it’s a “user-problem”. Translation: It’s not the hardware; it’s the peopleware that needs repair.

TAKE A BOW

In the midst of all the Ondoy-Pepeng aftermath and incoming Typhoon Ramil news, couldn’t miss this in online media last week: “This is the last performance of my life. And I will not fail you. Ito pong laban na ito ang magiging huling laban sa pelikula ng aking buhay. Nguni’t ang magiging bida dito ay hindi ako kung hindi ang masang Pilipino.“

What a fabulous rhetoric for Joseph “Erap” Estrada, one of Philippine cinema’s most popular actors who became elected-ousted-jailed-pardoned president of the country. The metaphor could not have been more apt. Got to give it to him — or his spin doctors — for coming up with such a dramatic, quotable quote.

But, please naman. Take a bow instead. Exit politics gracefully now and save yourself from the reality that we Filipinos, as a people, have matured as a voting force. Take it from the defeat in the 2007 senatorial race of fellow show business personalities Tito Sotto and Cesar Montano (who were both running under the administration’s banner at that! And Sotto, remember, was a re-electionist), Richard Gomez, and Victor Wood (yes he did run!). We know we deserve better.

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