By Rex Catubig

 

THE Franklin prevailed despite the predicaments that plagued its reincarnation.

Despite its travails of survival, yet another daybreak came, and a silver lining appeared when the visionary Belen T Fernandez was elected Mayor. She had envisioned the Franklin as part of the grandiose plan to develop the riverbank of Lucao-Pantal-Dawel in whose bosom a new majestic City Hall and civic center would rise that would be the pride of Dagupan and the embodiment of its quintessence.

But again, ruthless politics and clever manipulation of public sentiments held sway—and poor Franklin, though it has withstood catastrophic challenges, became collateral damage of political maneuvering, the budget for the rehabilitation of the area allegedly diverted elsewhere.

Lying abandoned and dormant, the old Franklin bridge lies like a dumped afterthought in the river that is its birthright, even as the De Venecia-Pantal diversion bridge oddly looms large above, like a ghost looking down on its old self.

Shall we consign this memorial of our storied past to ignominy? Shall we burn our bridge, so to speak?

Or hold fast to the dream that this remnant of our history be bestowed with renewed glory?

The beloved bridge once framed the beautiful sunset of Calmay River. Is there a sunrise in sight?

After what seemed a lifetime, the Franklin is finally granted a progeny, a kindred spirit, an heir to its historic pedigree. A trailblazing, groundbreaking ceremony was held for the construction of a new bridge. And after all the dark times it has withstood, it is hoped that the sun would rise and shine on this other Calmay Bridge.

For 90 years after the Franklin bridge sank, island barrio folks had pinned their hopes on its replacement. Yet despite initiatives by local leaders, the plans never really took off.

But after nine decades of aborted dreams, a new Calmay Bridge is about to straddle anew the mighty Calmay River. Thanks to the rookie successor of renowned public servants, who is a dreamer himself who dreams of dreams others do not dream, and by whose creative drive and master stroke, the blueprint and building of a generation’s lifetime dream is now taking shape.

It behooved Cong Toff de Venecia, the scion by affinity of the 1^st Speaker of the House, and the son of the 5-time Speaker of the House, Jose de Venecia Jr,  and his equally passionate service-oriented wife, Manay Gina, to turn the vision of his forebears into an enduring legacy.

For indeed, the new Calmay bridge, just a sigh away from the site of the old one, is a worthy successor and answered prayer–a testament to the faith of the island folks, and the headstrong commitment of an idealistic young man who dreams of dreams others do not dream.

Ironically, despite the promise it holds, it is being rocked by intrigues and falsehoods rammed by merchants of malice and apocalyptic horsemen who are having a joyride in the current uproar about anomalous public works projects and are riding roughshod over the bridge and other projects of target elected officials to earn brownie points of relevance and unconscionable media exposure.

Yet these detractors are no more than spoilsports–who delight in stoning the fruit-laden tree.

What does it profit any one, if by careless speculation, he casts a pernicious stone on a dream that never crossed his mind for lack of the gift to dream? Whose spirit his pea brain cannot grasp and comprehend? In the street smart lingo: Ano ba ambag nila? Have they contributed anything positive to the city they’re shedding crocodile tears for?

It has come to this: Digging dirt poised as civic diligence has become fashionable for the Emperor who has new clothes. And shattering dreams, an obsession of snake oil charlatans.