Checkpoints E

On the way to Dumaguete City, I wondered why trucks, motorcycles and their drivers congregating a distance from the Okoy Bridge and the realization that a checkpoint was established just beyond the bridge brought a smile. Here were Sibulan-based policemen with traffic aides checking on vehicle registration and enforcing the helmet ordinance. The checkpoint reminded me of the need to renew the registration of the vehicle and clearly illustrated the need for checkpoints in our lives to force us to address the deficiencies, if any. Those who stopped to evade the checkpoint lost valuable time in just waiting for the law enforcers to go home. Hopefully, those with cause to be apprehended or reprimanded were encouraged to act renew licenses, registrations and wear a safety helmet. We sure need these checkpoints regularly and commend the Sibulan police and traffic office for this activity.

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Another good thing being addressed is the on-going widening of the bridge at the intersection of Rovira Road and the North Road at the vicinity of St. Paul University. It served as a chokepoint at its original state as evidenced by the traffic jams during rush hours and aggravated by those who go to Sibulan every 13th of the month to honor St. Anthony de Padua. In one instance, to navigate the 300 meters from the Provincial Hospital to the intersection required an hour or 5 minutes per meter. This was caused by three lanes of north-bound vehicles meeting three lanes of southbound traffic clashing at the bridge temporarily having one lane due to the widening construction job. The experience taught me, which I consider a checkpoint, to use the diversion route when heavy traffic build-up ahead is seen.

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Coming out from the Silliman Elementary School from a meeting, my eyes widened at the number of "yayas" and guardians who were seated along the covered walk and in the designated waiting area for them. How life has changed. I still remember my years when we could walk to and from school and not a single "yaya" nor guardian was then considered necessary to wait for the child even while classes were still on-going. Well, that was decades ago and the complexity of modern necessities have demanded changes in lifestyles. One agenda of the meeting was the matter of where to appropriately locate the waiting area and the related item was to consider what could be done to make the waiting time productive. Employers of these concerned domestic helpers, as well as, guardians and even parents who spend precious time just waiting have the opportunity of making use of the time. One was knitting; a pair was checking each other's scalps while others were updating each other in life and I imagine about juicy secrets turned community news.

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As the Supreme Court orders the Armed Forces to produce the missing Jonas Burgos, the circumstance can be likened to the following anecdote. A journalist was stopped at an Army Checkpoint in Metro Manila. The Army soldier said, "Get out of the car and open the trunk!" The journalist replied, "I'm sorry, but the handbrake on the car is broken. I can't take my foot off the brake or it'll roll back down the hill." So the soldier says, "Do you take me for a FOOL?!" as he slides into the passenger seat, and stamps his big boot onto the brake pedal. "Now, go and open the trunk!" So the journalist reluctantly complies with the soldier's request and goes and opens the trunk of the car. "Now", shouts the soldier from inside the car, "Find Jonas Burgos in there?"*