The Queen City of the South

When I came home from the US (after 30 years!), I thought Bacolod would already be considered the Queen City of the South. Was I wrong! I visited Iloilo where I was born and raised until college and discovered that my birthplace was even more progressive than I thought. However, when I finally went to visit my Alma Mater, the good old University of San Carlos, was I amazed at the BIG improvement that Cebu has gone through all those years. Hence, Cebu is undeniably still the undisputed Queen City of the South!

Downtown Cebu reminiscent of Chicago

During my college days, we had to take the pump boat to go to Mactan Island for a visit but now, there are the old and the new Mandaue-Mactan bridges that connect the islands. In downtown Cebu are skyscrapers reminiscent of Chicago or Los Angeles but historical buildings and churches have been kept intact that tells the City’s history. For instance, the Cross of Magellan and the Basilica of the miraculous Santo Niño de Cebu and the Cebu Cathedral are properly maintained. The latter is undergoing restoration as we speak. My Alma Mater still stands on P. Del Rosario Street along Pelaez and Junquera Streets but the building where I finished college is now used for the Colleges of Law and Commerce while all the other departments have been transferred to Talamban where I taught Chemistry for BS in Chemisty and Chemical Engineering students while pursuing a Master’s Degree in the late 60s. The Ayala Mall could compete with those of the US and elsewhere around the world. It’s just impressive!

Colorful Mandaue-Mactan Bridge by dusk

What really caught my attention during my visit was the fact that public transportation drivers especially those of jeeps and taxis are so scared of the Traffic Enforcers as they immediately get the traffic ticket for their violation- Walang Patawad! Good for them. One taxi driver even said they are so afraid that they could lose their license and end up losing their job that they have so much respect for the Traffic Enforcers. This they say has been attributed to the discipline imposed by their Traffic Management Office in cooperation with LTO and with full support from City Mayor Tomas Osmeña. Great! Life could be just as nice if at least, we, the people of Bacolod could enjoy the same help and support from our City Officials especially from our Mayor. Unfortunately, things that have been said seem to fall on deaf ears or Mayor Bing Leonardia is just blind to those things that desperately need his full attention that he simply ignores them! This is sad and unless something is done for the benefit of the City and its Citizens, then, it is definitely TIME FOR A CHANGE.

Mandaue-Mactan Bridge by night

Bacolod needs a lot of improvement to qualify for the title "Queen City of the South," but there is nothing wrong in dreaming and hoping that at least, we should NOT be too far behind.

The famous Cross of Magellan in the background

There is a lot of advertising on Tourism, but tourists MUST enjoy things that they are entitled to enjoy- definitely NOT the garbage all over Bacolod, the untouched potholes and worse, the worst traffic in the world! This is a challenge to the incumbent Mayor and/or the next Mayor that people should hopefully, wisely elect on May 10.*