If it ain't broke…

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor CEDELF P. TUPAS Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

A few months ago, people living or working in buildings along Araneta Street, particularly in the Barangay Singcang area, were surprised when workers with heavy equipment started laying on some kind of paving material on the road late at night. The work seemed to be quite easy, and was done efficiently. A vehicle would spill the material that looked like dry asphalt, then a road roller would run back and forth over it and voila! The street would look thicker and more even, and one could almost immediately drive over it very smoothly.

Of course the appearance of the street improved, too, but many were wondering why this particular area, where the road was not at all bad, and was probably one of the most well preserved in the city, was the one being repaired and paved, when there are so many others that are in a bad state. We were informed, however, that this is the project of the national government, since Araneta Street is a national road.

The work stopped after a few blocks were covered and did not resume again until last week when, again, the same heavy equipment rumbled over the street doing the same task, this time in the area from the Lizares-Araneta intersection to somewhere near the Negros Occidental High School. Again it was puzzling, because that area, too, is neither potholed nor cracked, and still looked quite decent, too.

What is the reason for this repair of the good roads and neglect of the bad ones which are also national roads? There is quaint folksy saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". But the roads being repaired are not the broken ones. There is for instance that extension road a shortcut now being used to go to the airport or to Barangay Alijis where public utility vehicles have to pass which, although quite new, is now badly cracked and potholed, as well as dusty. There is also the badly damaged Circumferential Road. Why not repair roads like those? I hear they are both national roads. And lest those in charge forget, those who pass it are voters too.*