Eye Opener
Guimaras bridge Catalino Nava dreamed of
During our masteral school days at the College of Public Ad at U.P. Iloilo in 1972, Dr. Catalino Gallego Nava, a well-known physician-traumatologist, talked about his fervent wish to put up a bridge from Bulobito-on shore to Buenavista shoreline. The plan was to let Japan do the construction and funding will be taken from a World Bank source or any other world funding agency. Once there is a connecting bridge between Iloilo and Guimaras and eventually Valladolid, Negros Occidental, economic progress between the three provinces will be accelerated. After he was elected the first congressman of Guimaras province, cartoonist George Macias of Jordan sketched a drawing of the future Guimaras bridge, ala San Francisco California bridge. The base line should have been at Balaan Bukid ground to Ortiz shoreline but since the current was strong along Balaan Bukid, Jordan, to Ortiz, Iloilo City, engineers recommended that the best base area would be at Bulobitoon and Buenavista shorelines. Plans and negotiations were underway when unfortunately while serving his few months as the lone congressman of Guimaras province, Dr. Nava met his untimely death on Dec. 3, 1995 and his fondest dream of constructing a bridge in his home province did not materialize even up to this time.
Catalino's two sons, Congressman Rahman Nava and Gov. Felipe Nava may eventually fulfill their father's dream of a Guimaras bridge. The futuristic plan of the late Congressman Catalino Nava was also to connect the Inampulugan Guimaras islet to Valladolid, Negros Occidental town with another bridge. Should this Inampulugan-Valladolid bridge will materialize, untold progress, economic, social, etc. will be experienced by the three provinces of Western Visayas.
The sad experience suffered by hundreds of commuters in Bacolod City, Iloilo and Guimaras on June 23-24, would not be repeated. Every time there is a typhoon or strong wind visiting Western Visayas, Bacolod-Iloilo and Guimaras commuters are the unfortunate victims. Hence, the putting up of a bridge Iloilo-Guimaras-Valladolid will not only solve the problem during typhoon season but will bring untold income to three provinces.
The government seems unprepared to meet the basic needs of stranded passengers. The Weather Bureau, Coast Guard, and other government agencies should be alert in informing in advance boat owners that the impending typhoon or strong wind will affect their passengers and suspension of boat trip may be their urgent concern.
The unforgettable lesson experienced by grieving families at the stranded areas at Iloilo, Bacolod and Guimaras ports may be a strong indication to various government agencies to be ready for any eventuality like typhoon, tsunami, strong gusty winds and other nature's calamities. PAGASA should play an important role in updating its weather facilities to detect typhoons, etc. days ahead. Modern facilities on weather instruments that could detect calamities weeks in advance should be provided PAGASA and other government agencies that have something to do with the weather and safety of our people.
Pres. GMA should reimburse the P20 billion to the Filipinos for her frequent travels abroad as discovered by Senator Escudero so that modern weather early detecting devices could be purchased instead of satisfying the eye by seeing other countries at the expense of the suffering poor Filipinos. What legacy will GMA leave with the Filipinos once she is no longer president? God knows GMA how you handle the wealth of the Philippines during your presidency. God will require an accounting to all His people when they depart from earth. “What shall it profiteth a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?” this is a Biblical reminder to GMA and all government officials and employees who may have stashed the coffers of the insular government.
Statistics show that more than 30 million Filipinos live in abject poverty and hunger; 30 million are hungry day after day and 40 million are malnourished and sick, but the sorry state of the story is that only 5 percent is living in billionaire mansions and wallowing in wealth. The Bible says that not one centavo will the corrupt officials bring when they die. Give your ill-gotten money to poor and needy confess your sins, accept Jesus Christ as your saviour and God and live a Godly life thereafter.