Six years ago today, my family and I had the rare privilege of driving all the way from Davao City to Fontana, in Clark, Pampanga -- and all the way back! It was an exciting time for the family to have done that. We passed by and slept in some of our friends' homes along the way. After spending some time with relatives and attending a board meeting in Luzon, we went back home the same way all the way from Manila to Davao City.
The photo below on the right was taken exactly on the same day six years ago on May 2, 2004 somewhere in Samar on our way to Manila. We were stopped on the way by a mobile checkpoint. No problem. It was a routine checkup. This was during election time for the president and the gun ban was again strictly enforced. And this reminded me of something...
Highway Markers All Over Mindanao
Just a few months before I embarked on this trip, I had the chance to drive all over Mindanao and I noticed the sudden proliferation of highway markers in all of the major highways. It was like mushrooms sprouted suddenly on all major highways saturating it with these highway signs. The sign said, "Kalsada Natin, Alagaan Natin." Nothing wrong with that. Compliments of the Department of Public Highways (DPWH). I would suppose it would cost millions in government funds to be able to put up those signs. But what I found to be "interesting" in that highway marker was the bigger and bolder letters of the name of a president who also was running for re-election. To me, the timing when these highway signs came out was... hmm...
Of course, if you check the government websites, it's all praises for this project for having given the barangay folks along the highways a monthly income for cleaning the highways in their jurisdiction. Great! Jobs were generated. Congratulations... the local barangays were made happy... just before the elections. Hmm...
Highway Markers Also in Visayas and Luzon
I was even more shocked to see that these street signs not only covered all the major highways of Mindanao but at that time, I also saw them in all of the major highways we passed through in the Visayas and all the way to Luzon. My family and I saw them! We drove all the way from Davao City to Pampanga and back! But where are these highway markers now? Is this project still ongoing to benefit the people? I really don't know.
Well, it was exactly six years ago today and it's election time once again. And by the way, these are just my rambling thoughts. I don't normally side with any political party or any presidential candidate and I'm not siding anyone now. These are just... purely my thoughts... and I could be mistaken in my perception of the way things are or were. But hmm....
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