The Problem Is…

 

All right. Let’s face it. Although we can see a lot of really nice things happening in Cebu right now, we can also see a lot of really ugly things happening in this beloved city of ours. Like I said, Cebu is awesome, but she is not perfect. She has flaws. And there are a gazillion of them. So, before someone else points out these things to us (uhmm, I think a lot of  people have already pointed these things out to us – batangyagit, tagalasang, et al. ). Okay, so let me rephrase it, before someone else points out these things to us again, let’s look at them one by one and see how they’ve become such a menace, and why we can never reach our full potential as long as they’re around.

 

# 1: Spaghetti Wires

This problem has been around for like, what, since Cebu first had electricity? I hope we find a better solution to keep them a bit tidy. Burying them would surely cost us a fortune, so I hope we could think of something else quick.

100_2381 by you.

# 2: Cebu Zoo

So, yeah. The Cebu City Zoo and all its tenants need help. The animals need better homes.

100_2265 by you.

# 3: Road Safety

There should be a tougher implementation of road and traffic laws.

Take this photo as an example. Although this looks fun, it is actually quite dangerous.

102_6297 by you.

# 4: Pickpockets!

This one is hard to solve. But I’m not losing hope.

100_0610 by you.

# 5 Beggars

They’re everywhere. I’m pretty sure the city has anti-mendicancy laws but no one seems to be supporting them. Based on my observation, there are three kinds of beggars. There are those who are physically handicapped.

102_6038 by you.

There are those who carry babies around.

102_4269 by you.

And there are those who dive.

100_5883 by you.

# 6: Streetchildren

There are hundreds of streetchildren in Cebu City. Some of them collect junk and sell them.

102_7289 by you.

 Some of them beg to help their families.

102_4272 by you.

 And some of them just play on the streets and then beg.

101_0053 by you.

# 7: Public Pissers/Bombers

Although I think this is common all over the country, I really think this practice should be stopped soon.

102_5346 by you.

This Tanod had to pee in the set of the Kadaugan Sa Mactan reinactment. I wonder how Dennis Trillo and Pacquiao would feel if they saw this. LOL.

100_8977 by you.

Notice the dried sh*t on those things?  Yes, apparently, some people go to the SRP at night to drop the bomb. LOL.

s4021070 by you.

# 8: Jaywalkers

When it says Walk, that’s the time that you cross the street.

102_1660 by you.

# 8: Taggers

They’re those who feel that they’re important enought that all people should see their names everywhere.

101_0936 by you.

And there are those who do it just for kicks. LOL.

100_6747 by you.

# 9: Traffic!

Ahhh! Too many cars!

101_0598 by you.

# 10: Garbage

We should all learn how to keep our city clean.

101_0580 by you.

We should all do our part.

100_9637 by you.

# 11: Squatters

Cebu has numerous baranggays with illegal settlers. Like this one in Carbon.

1 by you.

This one is in Pasil.

101_0061 by you.

 This one is in Mandaue.

100_6515 by you.

# 12: Vendors

The vendors block the sidewalks and people are forced to walk in the street and eventually jaywalk. LOL.

101_0026 by you.

# 13: Dirty Public Beach

Public beaches should be cleared of houses and other structures.

100_9865 by you.

A public beach in Talisay.

100_9858 by you.

# 14: Poverty

A lot of people are still not able to eat three times a day. And I think that’s a major reason why all other reasons exist, to begin with.

100_8478 by you.

Let’s all do our part to rid Cebu of her demons. It’s hard. But it’s doable. 😀

 

39 thoughts on “The Problem Is…

  1. there are lots of things to do and we can start in our own little way…
    but most of all community projects and implementation should have a fierce way of control and management arun ma execute ang programs. kay ug makatilaw ug ultimate punishment, motagam man gyud.

    1. Hi Ley,
      I’ve been following your blog last few months; came across it while googling for Cebu and I absolutely love the shots you took of the towns in Cebu. Your last posting, the ugly side of Cebu
      is something I commend about your courage to post it. I agree with most of the responses, and while it is difficult to find where to start, we can start with awareness among the citizens of all classes. The problems are huge ! But I admire your optimism. Someone mentioned that the children shouldn’t be out on the streets begging. Looy baya tan-awn ning mga bata oi. Maybe start with that issue… and with this blog, you should forward to any government official who is not corrupt, if there’s any left. But this discussion is great ! Keep up the good work and know there are a lot of people following your blog. Maybe ikay ang saviour?? thanks…G

  2. ley, obviously this is a problem way to big to even think about it seems like this ones involves the whole city of cebu…. i don’t even know where to begin

  3. I have been dreaming a dream, Ley but it was only in a dream. That I ran a herculian task of a total overhaul and makeover over our beloved Cebu, the way I wanted it to be. From the governance, laws, infrastructures you name it. . . that dream was born coz of what you have just posted in here. .i felt very sorry about the flip side of the good things our beloved Cebu has to offer, the miserable state. I totally agree with Luisa, it is indeed difficult where to begin. .

  4. Damn right this is the ugly side of CEBU… politicians need to walk around the city to be able to understand the things that need to be change… problem is they rather sit on their ass all day in their airconditioned room and pretend to be working… some of this politicians make me sick… notice that most of them are fat, inconsiderate and liar… incompetent to be called a servant of CEBU. afterall our tax money is feeding this pigs. don’t get me wrong, i’m grateful to have Tommy as our mayor and he did a lot of good things for CEBU. Tommy can’t change the city by himself, he needs the help and support of all the people that actually care about their job and the city itself… people on the other hand need to be educated about a lot of things, i don’t even know where to start… that’s how mess up it is… i just hope for the best… good one Ley.

  5. How sad the situation is in such a beautiful city. It takes two to tango, both Gov’t & the residents should do their part. The Gov’t. should impose strict laws & mean it; I’m sure the residents will obey the laws especially when there’s penalty fees to go with it. Like in the western countries, there should be a food bank, so the poor can eat. Wake up, politicians!!

  6. We deserve the kind of governent we elect. We complain all our might for the bad things that is happening in our country and curses the corrupt politicians for our misery. But come election time, majority of us would sell thier vote to the highest bidder….duhhh!
    Change must start within ourselves.

    1. Actually, the educated people and intelligent voters do vote wisely. We already know the rightful public servants whou should be put in office.

      However, the uneducated ones—the C,D,E class, which unfortunately comprise the masses—are the people who would sell their vote or be influenced by some garrish ad of some trapo. They are the ones who are most vulnerable to political propaganda.

      Even if all the intelligent voters select the public servant who can definitely make things better, the numbers of the uneducated ones simply prevail.

      That is why I favor a parliamentary-federalist system of governance.

  7. I learned from my dad who works in the Lapu Lapu City government that it is not easy to get rid of squatters. Some stupid-ass senator in the past made a law that requires landowners to search for a relocation site for squatters who illegally settle on their property.

    Pwerti gyung brighta: imong yuta, ikaw pay mangita ug relocation. Unya kung ang squatter papahawaon na kay gamiton ang yuta, mag strike or mag rally.

    That’s why it is advised to fence off your property immediately to avoid squatter enroachment.

  8. tumpak jud imong title ley.mushagit cya “in ur face!” type.to the point nga redundant na cya.mura na cyag the problem is, will always be.pero kung kuhaun ni nimong mga problema,kinsa pa may muelect aning mga “public servants” nato run?their very existence owes to these “problems.” mao bitawng naa ra jud ning mga pobre,primarily to keep them in position.ours is a culture of “political patronage.” inig abot sa election,pamayran ning mga kaluluoy nga mga squatters para dili na muadto sa presinto.kay ug tugtan pa basin na nuon adto sa kontrapartido mobutar.
    take again the case of this city hospital.plano iclose kay dili ‘income generating.’ dili diay service ang tuyo aning govt hospital?maau na lang nidaug ang sensibility.pero gamay ra gihapun ang mga gamit ang hospital.so i-out source ang services.suwayi kunog pangutana kinsay mga tag iya aning mga laboratories surrounding the hospital.basin mga enterprising relatives aning mga opisyal.walay malisya kung enterprising.paet.
    siguro kung ang question nga “where to start?”, counter-culture akong tubag.culture, habit ang kontra.pero mura pug labing daghanang ug minillion “goliaths” ang sagubangun each moment. it wud need a support group sharing the same ideal despite having individaul differences.
    ambot saktu ba ko ley?mura na man kog ga-mauy.

  9. For street children, I think parents should be responsible to look after them. The streets, we all know, is not the best place to educate a child — they’re are just too many bad influences. The more they see illegal things happening without being caught by authorities, the more it encourages them to do the same.

  10. These problems are not unique to Cebu only. Our country has adequate laws in place to minimize if not eliminate most of them. But we are lacking the strict and fair enforcement of available agencies jointly with the discipline and concern of the citizenry. Let us infuse within us what I believe has been left out by our educators – PATRIOTISM.

  11. unsaon na lang..when pa kaha mausab ang pilipinas, mora man wa nay paglaom..oh, God please open our eyes to see what we have done sa to our environment.

  12. one of the price to pay for progress hilabi na kung ang balaod poorly implemented and daghang kurakot nga mga opisyal ug mga trabahador sa gobyerno. change should first come from the smallest unit in a community which is the family just as in a city change should start in the barangay. whenever maminaw mi sa tv patrol Cebu sa TFC mahadlok na man lang pod ta coz of the negative news like tulis, snatch, burglaries, patay ug uban pa. dapat mag 24 hours ilang police patrol hilabina sa mga known hot spots. i dont want to compare noh, pero di gyud malikayan nga ma-notice gyud nako, dinhi sa US ang mga police car mag-cg gyud ug ronda sa mga side streets. this alone will deter criminals from making crimes, or at least this will make it hard for them to do so. cebu (& the whole country for that matter) needs strict implementation of the law.

  13. Hi Ley,

    I absolutely agree on #8! Yes, taggers indeed! The first pic on #8 was taken at Queen City Memorial Cemetery wall right? Correct me if i’m wrong, but my beloved mother happens to be buried there. I do in fact love artists but tagging sa wall diha sa gawas sa cementeryo is very disrespectful for the families who visits and pays respect for their loved ones. Unfortunately, I haven’t gone back diha sa Cebu but I will make sure something will be taken care of to repaint that wall! But of course, I also do agree with you that poverty is the main reason that all of these things exists!

  14. lage sah… kana jung mga street children oh manglimos diha sa colon,,, mamugus pa raba jud if d nimo tagaan nya mangaway,,,,,, wa man gud cla matudloe ug proper manners….
    dapat ta naa cla sa school.

  15. hello boss.

    its my first time to visit here. i really really love some of your… topics..

    ahm honestly.. i am so thankful that god given us a little shelter for my family. if not..
    i am one of the beggars there…

    and u are the one who took me a pic during begging time. xD

    i really dont know, if kinsa jud sa mga opisyales sa atong syudad nga atong madaganan for helps and arrangement sa cebu..
    pero im hoping , that every days.weeks,month or years to come.. there’s some a little changes dre sa atong nasud..
    ..even just a little. lang gud..

    thanks…

  16. kasagaran kundi tanan nga mga squatters sa Cebu or beggars kay dili man pure Cebuano jud… either taga Mindanao or neighboring Visayan islands nya nanimpad ra sa Cebu mao nang overpopulated ra kaayo and syudad sa karon sa impoverished communities… the Badjaos for example… they are everywhere in Colon.

    kay kung taga Cebu jud ka, imposible sad kaayo nga wa kay probinsiya sa Cebu nga gigikanan na pwede ta mapuy-an ug tarong, diba? kadaghang mga indigent nga Cebuano nga wala mamuyo sa syudad pero nabuhi ra man gihapon sa bukid… nag-uma.

    misamot na nuon ta kaalimuot… ang Cebu ra bay kinainitan nga weather sa whole PI.

    unsaon kaha noh na kung pwede ta muprogress bah pero wala na nang overpopulation/unemployment issues nga welcome ghapon ang taga-laing dapit outside Cebu?

    sakto jud ni imong post dah…

    giluod baya ko sa bomb nga picture…eewwww lol

  17. duha ra may problema sa Pilipinas ron…

    1. people’s lack of self-discipline/ initiative

    2. corrupt officials

    mao ra… actually, mao2x ra man ng 1 ug 2

    unemployment? naay daghang trabaho… pwerteng daghana, pero ang problema kasagaran mangapply dili qualified or sobra pud kapilian ang pinoy… or ubos ra kaayo ang pagtan-aw sa mga Cebuano sa ilang kaugalingon nga mahadlok gani makat-on ug iningles para lang naay masudlan nga decent job. makontento na lang pud ug pamaligya ug ginagmay.

    unya pait sad kaayo ng pamilyang sobra ka relihiyoso nga halos tanang linya sa Bible literal ra kaayo ang pagsabot… hala! sige! “go to the world and multiply’ bisan nagkambabayat na ang agi.

    health care? mas maayo nang mamuyo sa probinsiya kay mabuhi pa ta kaysa nang mudutdut sa syudad nya way tarong trabaho… magsuffer noon ang pamilya. maayo nang sa probinsiya haw-ang ang kinabuhi nya presko ang utanon ug hangin .

    education? sus. daghan kaayong mga public schools sa Pinas… ang problema kay instead ang inahan mutabang sa pagtuon sa anak, patrabahuon man hinuon… bata pa gani part-timer nah mao nang magdako ang anak nga bogo (although kugihan manikaysikay) pero mao lagi… maminyo gihapon ug sayo… kay mao may mentality sa Pinoy. ang problema sa kwarta ug uban pa kay wa juy kaundangan.

    daghan pa man ang options, pero conservative ra kaayo ang pinoy… nasobraan… mao nang limited ug panghunahuna kasagaran nato… pila ra man ng mga successful uy…

    NINDOT JUD ANG PILIPINAS, ANG NAGPUYO RA MAY BATI…apil na guro ko ani… lol

  18. Admitting there is a problem is the first step to overcoming it. We must all work to improve the environment around us.

    There is a movement in the Philippines called ‘Ako Mismo”. Though it has been smeared lately (Philippine politics again) it basic premise is to get involved and make a difference. In your life and those around you.

    Practice the Golden Rule, help those less fortunate than yourself. Live by example.

    Thanks Leylander for this enlightening post.

  19. Ley,
    In additon, those ASEAN lamp posts are glaring monuments of corruption – a major cause of social chaos and urban blight.

  20. I’ve been keeping an eye on this post since it was posted last week. I wanted to hear what others have to say about this issue. I whole heatedly agree with all of the readers. Here is my two cents:

    Key ingredients to alleviate the problem are

    Funding – Yes, money is needed to fix this. If we look back at history, money was the number one ingredient the countries needed to industrialize. One example is Japan, who quickly grabed the opportunity and took off.

    Governmnet – An effective working governmnet that is, starting at a national level. Money with lack of control is set to collapse. Enforce, enforce, enforce with nothing in between. Follow the law or pay your fine (with receipt).

    Citizens – Ley, you pretty much summarized this part. Everyone is to do their share, small or big.

    To those of us who calls this city our home, but are not citizens of the city, we can definitely contribute. How? Challenge yourself to think of ways you can help, and I’ll do the same.

  21. what you ‘ve done is brave enough to discuss, the other side of cebu
    but i think it’s endemic, it’s everywhere in our country, sa US duna sila’y
    homeless problem..but it’s correct that government should address these
    problems, but the citizenry also should share the load in helping our beloved
    hometown each of one us ok…there is only one hometown for me, Cebu City..
    mao na “payt” or “fight” bisdak!! (dili ba masuko ang LUDABI ani..nag-english man ko?)..Ley thanks…for that good article..

    emmanuel

  22. Spaghetti wiring is the result of the meter-on-pole installations by VECO.

    VECO has no other choice but install meters on the poles to prevent electricity pilferage which rampant in the Philippines.

    High electricity prices mean more cases of electricity pilferage and more factories relocating to other countries where reliable electricity is more affordable like Indonesia, Malaysia and Taiwan.

    Celestica is moving its factories to other countries.

    If other factories follow, tourism will be the only thing left that keeps Cebu going.

  23. comment ra ni nhe….
    hala….!hapit na eleksyon…kinsa napud kaha ang mga ibotong tikasan ai…??? powera ani nga cite oi payter man kaayo…karon paku kamatngon nga naa pud diay in ani dre sa internet…abi naku sa bukid ra…..sabagay karon raman sad ko makaagi…
    hmhmhmhmhmhmh…..
    not all politicians are foolish..!
    not all militaries are stupid..!
    not all police are fuckrs..!
    but some of us dont think vivid.
    kakayahan po kasi natin ang masilaw sa kaunting ilaw….
    not the government but the one who role as the government.!
    if the money is our first solution,,,surely this means no cooperation.!

    nindot ug ayos kaayo ang akong nakita sa pag labay ug pagbisita dinhi…..
    saludo kaayo ko!!!! ang “positive and negative” sakto kaayo ang timing… xure ko daghan ang nakahibalo,,, daghan pud ang mga naigo,pero daghan kaayo silang nagpakabuta nalang ug bunggol…kay lagi mao,,,mao lagi,,,sila ganahan na sa ilang hapsay ug maanindot nga kahimtang…di na sila molihok para sa uban…saonz nalang.. hinaut ko nga sa pamaagi ani nga “cite” daghan na jud ang makamata ug makakita kung naunsa na ang PILIPINAS..! dili ra ni sa cebu nga problema,,,sa ato a ni nga nasud!!! panahon na siguro para muasdang,,,magpakabana,,,ug molihok para sa atong kalambuaan..
    IPADAYON ANG PAGPANGITA..!
    mabuhay pilipinas!.

  24. I agree, it is doable however how about start this things & the change withing ourselves.. The main cause is because of unity and self-giving….

  25. You can include some of those greedy traffic enforcers who pressure PUJ drivers and ordinary people to pay them without any receipts, most especially during nights

  26. HI Im interested in your Pasil and Mandaue pictures of slum and squatters area. I would like to use your photo on an upcoming environmental meeting to present the growing problem of illegal settlers in contrast to the expanding growth of buildings and infrastructure projects here in Cebu and Mandaue. This is in line with the Economic Freedom Movement of Pres. Duterte on how to to improve the lives of our marginalized citizens and community. We will mention your photo credits in our presentation. My name is Stephen Jayme and Im from Cebu City . My number is 09778050098 / 032-5308998

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *