What we sow, we reap

By Gonzalo Duque

FOR the nth time, we’ve been asked to comment on the chronic flooding in Dagupan City and many parts of Pangasinan.

From, where we sit in our office at SSS Manila, our thoughts were transported to our beloved province and city because of the seemingly unsolvable flooding headache.

Our thoughts were further incensed by a radio interview in which a high-ranking official of Dagupan City (you probably know who) was racking up all the blame to Mayor Belen Fernandez.

Yes, that’s another proof of crass fault-finding, which is not only unprofessional but bereft of fact.

We were won’t to ask this official what has he done to mitigate the effect of flooding? And where did he get his facts for lumping murky things on the incumbent mayor?

Where was he when the tough challenges of local governance were staring everyone in the face? The usual alibi was his civic or so-called leadership training in the global scene.  Ano ba yan? Nagpra-practice ng leadership exercises sa abroad pa?

Another concerned friend, this time, with a meaningful suggestion regarding the hiring of flood experts and consultants to extend help versus our chronic problem.

At the moment, our thoughts went to the Netherlands Embassy, whose suggestion momentarily disturbed us because it was urging Dagupeños to pack up and abandon beloved city. That’s defeatist, to say the least, and we could not allow it.

We might as well consult the Japanese Embassy which has a better, up-to-date engineering expertise.

Let’s not forget, by the way, that the city was a victim of liquefaction, which should be factored in by our planners when they undertake the big job.

At hindsight, we saw what we thought was the culprit behind the unchecked flooding. It’s a case of “Inatey so Angabil”.

Sorry, ladies and gentlemen, but the San Roque Dam engineers got it all wrong for releasing excess water that effected the drowning of our flat lands.

Do you remember that ugly episode when SM Rosales which is just beside San Roque got neck deep under water, at the height of that idiotic release of water by the San Roque managers?

A big part of the province including Dagupan City was severely inundated when and also now exacting multi-million losses.

As Jimmy Hatllow in the famous strip, “There Ought to be a Law,” would tell on the focus of the San Roque managers, to do their job properly in accord with the highest engineering specs and plans – not in “palaran” approach.

The flooding business, you see, is a serious “life business.”

We have all experienced its harrowing effects.

What our planners should have done or now be doing was to hold a province-wide if not region-wide public consultation with officials of the DPWH, province, local municipalities including the barangay and sitio levels.’

Once and for all, let’s put down the piece-meal, knee jerk, and “palpalaran”, “pankwartaan” approach.

Let’s put the larger interest over and above narrow, personal and selfish interests.

We are now seeing with our own eyes the effects, result and implications of our selfishness, myopia and, yes, penchants for corruption. Everything comes back, you know. What you put in, you get back. What we sow, we reap!

*                *                *                *

Condolence to Mrs. Evelyn Guirao, her children and kins on the sudden demise of our colleague Orly Guirao, who succumbed to lung cancer last week at the age of 70.

                  The ailment reminds us of former mayor Al Fernandez who died of the same – smoking – recently.

                  May he rest in peace.

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