Why Iloilo City is Doomed

Before I start my rant, let me tell you that I am an Ilonggo. I've been staying in the city longer than I stayed in the town where I was born. So it is with a broken heart that I write this. If I say City I mean the districts found in the city. Provincial towns in Iloilo are not included.

Iloilo City used to be a bustling town....everything was just a ride away and everything was affordable.

But those memories are long gone. Iloilo City is in the hole with very littel chance of going up. Except for the Dinagyang (which is highly commercialized) not one thing is good in Iloilo.

While I'm writing this, I just heard the news of a teen was gang raped, killed and thrown in Calajunan dumpsite. The kid was said to be a garbage collector and just went to a Saturday night dance in the nearby Barrio in So-oc with her boyfriend. Apparently, her boyfriend and her friends have other idea.

This is a very sad and disturbing news. If people in the city could do this how can the city be called safe? If you find yourself outside your house in Iloilo City after 9 p.m., watch out. If you go to Smallville, you could be a victim of drive by shooting which coudl happen anytime.

What makes me even more furious this is the city government's reaction. I know thier smart but I think they don't have a soul.

Why?

A girl was just gang raped and brutally murdered and all you could talk is your beef with LTO? Why is there no outrage? Why is there no drastic laws? Why is there no assistance to the family? I bet that the 30-minutes worth of work of ANY city councilors is already a day's worth of work of the ENTIRE family of the victim.

With regards to LTO. My take is that the LTO should have the final say on this. The arguement posted by Mr. Plagata is not just enough. There is already an agreement with the DILG and the LTO on who handles the TOP. Why can't the city follow the agreement of thier superiors?

Mr. Plagata's defence could be divided into two parts:

1) They already have the city ordinance since 1992. Yep, the first to create the law is correct. Maybe if someone created a law stating that anyone wears red on a Friday in June 1898 will be hanged to death will still be observed here in Iloilo City.

2) Mandaluyong already have an MOA that allows them to sieze the driver's license. Wow. One point: YOU DON'T HAVE AN MOA!!! ALL YOU HAVE IS AN ORDINANCE!!! Besides, no one follows most of city ordinances. Remember the ban on public smoking? Remember the ordinance against jaywalking? Remember the ban against public helmet? Yes, the latest ordinance did have some effect but I still see people going around the city AT NIGHT without any helmets.

There's a dead girl and they are fighting about their rights. Sheesh.

How GMA and ABS-CBN Can Destroy the Philippines

You may have already seen the effects of Television to Kids...hours and hours of being in front of Television could get your kid out of their better life. They could have studied, ran around in play and making friends. They are instead stuck in the tube because there are too many things to watch.

Let me specify two stations: ABS-CBN and GMA. These two television giants are campaigning hard to be the best in the country. I don't have qualms in what they do to boost their ratings but in doing so, they are destroying our country and most especially the young ones.

I found this out throught the most disturbing answer I recieved. I was complaining that the stories in the telenovelas (the nightly shows that starts at 7.30 and ends in God knows when) are too cheesy. The answer I had was "they are geared specifically for kids." That's where I realize that these networks are out to destroy our future.

Aside from being cheesy (and maybe I'm wrong but they are a bit recycled), the shows run only for 30 minutes. The kids only have the ability to focus on a show for this much. Don't believe me? Try getting your kids to watch a full length film and see if they don't buldge. 30 minutes is enough to get the kids glued from one show to the other.

Because these shows run from Monday to Friday, the kids will not have time to interact with the family, eat together and even do their homework. If they do their homework, they do it in front of the tube which will take up their concentration.

If these networks do care about the future of our country, move the shows a LATER. Start from 9pm or even 10pm. Kids will be asleep by then. Instead of these crazy (and probably recycled) stories, get more news and analysis of the events instead.

And for the rest of the networks, don't you dare make telenovelas of your own. We have more than enough distraction our kids could handle.