The typhoons reminded me of the Geography of Poverty, a tag which we used to describe the Bangladesh economy vis-a-vis disasters. This is not to cite the adverse effects of the typhoon to the economy to strengthen the tag’s claim that underdevelopment can be explained by geography. Rather, it is posited to serve as a call to rethink development strategies to be more grounded with reality.
Perhaps, there is a need to focus our attention to building the economic capabilities of some areas in the country that are less prone to disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. We cannot simply rely on the regions that have been producing our food supply since we all have seen how prone they are to typhoons. We have to look at how the regions in Mindanao can assume this role.
There’s also a need to define the development strategy for the disaster-prone areas on the East coast. Itinerant rains would make dependence on agriculture very hard. Road networks in these areas should also be of quality and should regularly be checked.
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I feel a bit troubled that the City Government of Pasay is lagging in its efforts to get hold of the reputation as the gateway to the country and as the transportation hub of Metro South. If they are doing something, then they are probably failing in communicating it to the public. But I am more inclined to believe the former.
The major thoroughfares are dirty. I know there’s nothing new about this but these thoroughfares are those that lead to and run through the airport. It will be one of those things that you’ll notice once you land in the Philippines and for sure, nobody will like it.
If you’re a resident of any of the cities of the Metro South, you can’t help but pass through Pasay to get to the rest of the metropolis. If you’re going to commute, you won’t feel comfortable about it. The transportation network in the city is such a mess and a maze. If you go through Rotonda, you would know what I’m talking about. You have narrow sidewalks and footbridges with vendors on your way, tricycles pass through major thoroughfares, and terminals are located in places where they will obviously serve as obstructions.
The worst is when you are commuting to go to the airport. The only comfortable and fast means is through a cab and that works well if you are carrying a luggage. It seems that the city government is not devising a way to assist travelers who have to go to and from the airport. The MIAA has a shuttle loop as a response to the difficulty of commuting to and from the airport. The city should create a new route for jeepneys and other public transportation providers that will bring the passengers inside the airport premises. Yeah, sure, security issues should be considered but should not hinder city officials from doing this.
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I’m afraid that there will come a time that I will feel that my sector does little to contribute to the upliftment of the social conditions of my people. This is not because of the nature of my sector nor the people who run it but because my academic training is geared towards responding to social ills. I hope that this will not affect the way I regard my present career but will only compel me towards moving to the career path that I have longed for.
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The concern for a more socially relevant contribution affects the direction I want to take after I earn my masters degree. I have laid out my choices for the next degree that I’ll pursue even though I am not sure if I’ll still have the passion to study (the passion to learn is different) to earn another degree. There is a conflict as to taking a multi-disciplinary path that is consistent with my undergraduate degree or to a more practical one. For now, these are just ideas. A decision is not yet necessary.
