Full speed ahead for railroad, north and south
Full speed ahead for railroad, north and south
Updated 01:56am (Mla time) Dec 01, 2004
By Neal Cruz
Inquirer News Service
Editor's Note: Published on page A14 of the December 1, 2004 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
SOME opposition senators have got their priorities screwed up. They are opposing the NorthRail because the project, they say, would displace the squatters along the railroad tracks. They give more importance to law violators than to the railroad that will benefit the whole country by making the transport of cargo and passengers faster and cheaper while decongesting the highways and roads of Luzon. The reason for their strange behavior, of course, is politics. By pretending to fight for the squatters, they are already courting their votes even if the next election is still more than two years away.
In the first place, the squatters will not just be ejected. On the contrary, they will be relocated to several housing projects from the squalid, congested and dangerous squatter colonies where they live only inches away from the railroad tracks and death. This, even if there is a law that says squatters on the right of way of government infrastructure projects (such as railroads) are not entitled to relocation or assistance. But the squatters along the tracks of the NorthRail can choose from relocation sites in Towerville, San Jose del Monte, Barangay Bignay, Valenzuela, both in Bulacan, or Rodriguez in Rizal.
The latter is just next door to Metro Manila and much bigger. It is a 2,500-hectare site for a mass housing project only 15 percent of which is occupied. It can accommodate 20,000 more families. And unlike other municipalities that don't want to be relocation sites for squatters, Rodriguez Mayor Pedro Cuerpo is inviting them to settle there.
Those who would like to go back to their provinces will each be given a P50,000 financial assistance under the "Balik-Probinsiya" program. They can use the money for transportation home, to buy a home lot, build a modest house, or as capital for a livelihood project.
Relocation is always the best choice for squatters. Those who were relocated to Pagasa in Quezon City, Sapang Palay in Bulacan, and other relocation sites are now glad they were relocated although they resisted it initially. These squatters are now modestly wealthy as the lots awarded to them are now worth many times what they paid for them. Many of them have flourishing businesses there.
On the other hand, those who resisted relocation are still living in the same squalid and unhealthy conditions. So if politicians try to prevent the relocation of squatters, they are not really after the welfare of the squatters. They are only after the votes of the squatters.
* * *
I think reviving and improving the railroad in the whole island of Luzon, along with the "nautical highway" to link the islands of the Philippines from Luzon to Mindanao, is the best project of President Macapagal-Arroyo. They have very high social and economic returns. They will drastically reduce the cost of transporting goods and people all over the archipelago. For instance, the rail fare from Caloocan to Malolos is P43 as against P70 in bus fare, not including the additional fee for the toll on the expressway. For the first year of full operation, it is projected that there will be 164,745 passengers using the NorthRail daily. On the 10th year of operation, the projection is that the system will transport 363,193 passengers daily, plus thousands of tons of cargo.
All the world's progressive countries, developed and Third World (Europe, the United States, Russia, Japan, Australia, China, India, the Indo-Chinese countries, etc.), do not only have good railroads but are still improving them. We used to have a good enough railroad from Damortis, La Union, to Legazpi, Albay, until the administration of President Diosdado Macapagal. GMA's father used to take the train from Tutuban to Damortis when going to Baguio, so he had enough time and elbow room to work on official papers. The night train to Legazpi, the Bicol Express, was a relaxing way to travel such a long distance, what with air-conditioned, first-class coaches and dining cars. You could sleep comfortably on board and wake up refreshed the next morning in Legazpi.
After Macapagal, however, the Philippine National Railways was allowed to deteriorate, some say because of the lobby by American automotive makers promoting the use of buses, trucks and cars. After 35 years of neglect, the rail service to Damortis is no more, the tracks invaded by squatters. Tutuban, the main depot, was leased and converted into a shopping mall. The south line to Legazpi, while still running, has so deteriorated that derailment has become common, the latest of which happened in Quezon where scores were killed.
Since the NorthRail is already being funded by China, I think we should negotiate with another country like Japan, which has one of the most advanced technologies on railroads, to improve and finance the SouthRail. In fact, I think the NorthRail should be extended not only to San Fernando, La Union, (the fourth phase) but all the way to Laoag, Ilocos Norte, and eventually around the tip of Luzon to Aparri, Cagayan, down to Cagayan Valley and back to Pangasinan.
The SouthRail, on the other hand, should be extended to Sorsogon, from where the nautical highway to the Visayas can begin. The New People's Army is strong in Sorsogon because it is largely undeveloped and the people feel they are neglected. The railroad will help in the development of the province and banish poverty and subversion there. For one, it would make it easy for trainloads of dollar-laden tourists who want to watch whale sharks and sun themselves on remote beaches to go to Sorsogon.
(To be continued)
Updated 01:56am (Mla time) Dec 01, 2004
By Neal Cruz
Inquirer News Service
Editor's Note: Published on page A14 of the December 1, 2004 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
SOME opposition senators have got their priorities screwed up. They are opposing the NorthRail because the project, they say, would displace the squatters along the railroad tracks. They give more importance to law violators than to the railroad that will benefit the whole country by making the transport of cargo and passengers faster and cheaper while decongesting the highways and roads of Luzon. The reason for their strange behavior, of course, is politics. By pretending to fight for the squatters, they are already courting their votes even if the next election is still more than two years away.
In the first place, the squatters will not just be ejected. On the contrary, they will be relocated to several housing projects from the squalid, congested and dangerous squatter colonies where they live only inches away from the railroad tracks and death. This, even if there is a law that says squatters on the right of way of government infrastructure projects (such as railroads) are not entitled to relocation or assistance. But the squatters along the tracks of the NorthRail can choose from relocation sites in Towerville, San Jose del Monte, Barangay Bignay, Valenzuela, both in Bulacan, or Rodriguez in Rizal.
The latter is just next door to Metro Manila and much bigger. It is a 2,500-hectare site for a mass housing project only 15 percent of which is occupied. It can accommodate 20,000 more families. And unlike other municipalities that don't want to be relocation sites for squatters, Rodriguez Mayor Pedro Cuerpo is inviting them to settle there.
Those who would like to go back to their provinces will each be given a P50,000 financial assistance under the "Balik-Probinsiya" program. They can use the money for transportation home, to buy a home lot, build a modest house, or as capital for a livelihood project.
Relocation is always the best choice for squatters. Those who were relocated to Pagasa in Quezon City, Sapang Palay in Bulacan, and other relocation sites are now glad they were relocated although they resisted it initially. These squatters are now modestly wealthy as the lots awarded to them are now worth many times what they paid for them. Many of them have flourishing businesses there.
On the other hand, those who resisted relocation are still living in the same squalid and unhealthy conditions. So if politicians try to prevent the relocation of squatters, they are not really after the welfare of the squatters. They are only after the votes of the squatters.
* * *
I think reviving and improving the railroad in the whole island of Luzon, along with the "nautical highway" to link the islands of the Philippines from Luzon to Mindanao, is the best project of President Macapagal-Arroyo. They have very high social and economic returns. They will drastically reduce the cost of transporting goods and people all over the archipelago. For instance, the rail fare from Caloocan to Malolos is P43 as against P70 in bus fare, not including the additional fee for the toll on the expressway. For the first year of full operation, it is projected that there will be 164,745 passengers using the NorthRail daily. On the 10th year of operation, the projection is that the system will transport 363,193 passengers daily, plus thousands of tons of cargo.
All the world's progressive countries, developed and Third World (Europe, the United States, Russia, Japan, Australia, China, India, the Indo-Chinese countries, etc.), do not only have good railroads but are still improving them. We used to have a good enough railroad from Damortis, La Union, to Legazpi, Albay, until the administration of President Diosdado Macapagal. GMA's father used to take the train from Tutuban to Damortis when going to Baguio, so he had enough time and elbow room to work on official papers. The night train to Legazpi, the Bicol Express, was a relaxing way to travel such a long distance, what with air-conditioned, first-class coaches and dining cars. You could sleep comfortably on board and wake up refreshed the next morning in Legazpi.
After Macapagal, however, the Philippine National Railways was allowed to deteriorate, some say because of the lobby by American automotive makers promoting the use of buses, trucks and cars. After 35 years of neglect, the rail service to Damortis is no more, the tracks invaded by squatters. Tutuban, the main depot, was leased and converted into a shopping mall. The south line to Legazpi, while still running, has so deteriorated that derailment has become common, the latest of which happened in Quezon where scores were killed.
Since the NorthRail is already being funded by China, I think we should negotiate with another country like Japan, which has one of the most advanced technologies on railroads, to improve and finance the SouthRail. In fact, I think the NorthRail should be extended not only to San Fernando, La Union, (the fourth phase) but all the way to Laoag, Ilocos Norte, and eventually around the tip of Luzon to Aparri, Cagayan, down to Cagayan Valley and back to Pangasinan.
The SouthRail, on the other hand, should be extended to Sorsogon, from where the nautical highway to the Visayas can begin. The New People's Army is strong in Sorsogon because it is largely undeveloped and the people feel they are neglected. The railroad will help in the development of the province and banish poverty and subversion there. For one, it would make it easy for trainloads of dollar-laden tourists who want to watch whale sharks and sun themselves on remote beaches to go to Sorsogon.
(To be continued)
posted by Dante at 4:35 PM
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