Can Osmeña Boulevard be declared car-free every Sunday?

That’s what ecology advocates asked Cebu City officials after last Sunday's “Road Revolution” left the boulevard free for pedestrians in order to advocate a redesign of public roads to add bicycle lanes and wide sidewalks, and to shift to the use of environment-friendly transportation.

The whole-day event drew several text complaints to City Hall about the road closure and traffic congestion on detour roads, said City Information Officer Carlo Duga-Duga.

Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young said they will study the proposal of environmental lawyer Antonio Oposa Jr.

“Despite the complaints of the motorists, it went well but to close it every Sunday is a different matter. We have to study that,” Young said.

He said if ever the plan is approved, the road would be closed only after 4 p.m. until midnight on Sundays.

“Based on last Sunday’s experience, the influx of people happens after 4 p.m. when the sun is about to set,” the vice mayor said.

Duga-Duga said it's normal for city residents to complain about last Sunday's road closure.

“But if we could see that it is in fact giving more positive benefits to many, then why not implement it,” Duga-duga said.

Oposa, a Ramon Magsaysay awardee for his environment crusade, and several supporters yesterday submitted to the Cebu City Council a petition to overhaul the city's road use system to prioritize pedestrians and bicycle riders.

Their proposal calls for devoting 30 percent of the road for sidewalks, 30 percent for bicycle lanes, 30 percent for mass transport that is “Filipino-made” and pollution-free, and 10 percent for a greenbelt of gardens and trees.

Oposa later appeared in a Provincial Board (PB) session to promote the establishment of a bamboo railway system and solar energy “train.”

Oposa gathered 20,000 signatures for the petition that seeks a pollution-free transportation system in Cebu.

“Our mode of transportation is totally wrong. We need to change it,” Oposa said in last Sunday's opening program of the Road Revolution, which was timed for Independence Day.

Vice Mayor Young said the city government will study Oposa's proposal to close Osmeña Boulevard every Sunday.

Oposa pushed for the use of solar, wind and pedal trains as a long-term mode of mass transport in Cebu.

The 20,000 signatures was in keeping with a Local Government Code provision requiring 1,000 voters or 100 voters in each town to initiate a petition for local legislature to propose or amend an ordinance.

Oposa said Cebu City Hall and the Capitol could invest in a railway while the transport sector can form a cooperative to manage the franchise for the railway roads.

He said jeepney and bus drivers should schedule their trips to free the roads for pedestrians and bikers.

Oposa said he already promoted his plan in Puerto Princesa, Marikina, Iloilo and Davao but he wanted Cebu to be the pioneer of the project.

“Cebu is the perfect case study because it is located in the central part of the country,” he said.

He said an eco-friendly mass transportation system will make Cebuanos less dependent on toxic and expensive motor vehicles.

Architect Joy Martinez said they will also coordinate with the Cebu City council on a road network system that will “work” for Cebu city.

“We should push for bigger sidewalks and plant more trees,” Martinez said.

At the PB, Oposa said the “self-contained renewable energy train” developed by Cebuano engineer Brian Yuson can be implemented in Cebu.

The “train” was made of a donated golf cart powered by six batteries that can be recharged with a windmill, a solar panel and a pedal system.

PB Member Sun Shimura invited Oposa to explain his plans to the Daanbantayan municipal council in Malapascua Island since they enforce a no-motorized vehicle policy there.

PB member Arleigh Sitoy said he wanted the bamboo railway system tried in Cordova town.

The fire destroyed 20 houses and damaged four others.

It then spread to the nearby Southwestern University, damaging six rooms in the second and third floors of its Maria Guerrero building.

A resident, Boboy Gacasin, was rushed to a hospital for slight burns.

Senior Fire Officer Jimmy Layao of the Cebu City Fire Department said property damages was estimated at P2 million since houses were made of light and concrete materials.

Layao said the fire broke out at 2:40 a.m. in a boardinghouse owned by 61-year-old Rosie Lambo Barrientos.

Lorie Lucban, a student boarder, said she heard an explosion and saw a wall-mounted electric fan burst in flame.

When the flames spread to the wall and ceiling, she went outside and called for help.

Mark Similong, one of the student boarders, said he and his friends were drinking at the ground floor when the explosion occurred.

He went upstairs to save his belongings. He suffered minor burns on his left arm.

Layao said the electric fan may have been left on and overheated.

He said the fire was so intense it spread to the SWU school building, whose fire wall didn't protect some of its floors.

Firefighters positioned their trucks inside the school compound allowing them to put out the fire easily.

Layao said the damage in the building wasn't serious since the floors were not occupied at the time.

The ground level that housed the laboratory rooms was spared.

Jason Paragele of the SWU graduate school department said classes were suspended because of the fire. But other departments continued their regular classes.

Yesterday’s fire took place on the day students in private schools in Cebu were resuming classes after the summer break.

Despite the congested area, Layao said firefighters reached the area since there were enough access roads and put out the fire at 6:30 a.m. or 30 minutes after they arrived.

Cathy Yso, head of the Cebu City Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS), said they initially listed 144 persons, mostly students, who were displaced.

She said the students chose to look for another boardinghouse rather than stay in tents set up as shelter. Yso said the city government will provide food relief starting yesterday.

Affected residents will receive construction materials and other goods from Cebu City Hall.

“Most of the affected persons here are boarders and they want to protect their belongings,” said Alvin Santillana, chief of the Cebu City anti-disaster council.

He said four big tents were set up on both streets near the affected area. Eight portable toilets were also stationed in the site.

But because Joavan had his own brushes with the police, many believed that the police made sure that Joavan will spend the night in jail. Luckily for Joavan, nothing untoward happened to him while under the custody of the police. I think the delay in the release of Joavan from jail can be considered as the handiwork of the police. Well, it is unfortunate because in this case, it was Soc Fernandez who went to jail to visit his son in a crash helmet.

I am very happy with the way that Mayor Mike Rama is handling illegal occupants of the Mahiga River. Our city hall employees started demolishing the structures when Councilor Alvin Dizon went there to criticize Rama for not providing relocation sites.

But remember, the illegal occupants rejected it because they would rather stay where they had their illegal structures. While we empathize with the situation of the illegal occupants, the time has come for them to demolish their structures because they are living in a very dangerous location. No. 1, these people have already taken advantage of the government by occupying the area for a long time without paying the proper authorities. I think these squatters were aware that they are staying in a dangerous zone. Luckily for them, Mayor Rama is right in reminding them that they are endangering themselves and the other residents of the city. I think they should not get mad or angry at Mayor Rama because what Rama is doing is for their own good and the for city’s welfare. I think Councilor Alvin Dizon should support the position of Rama’s position because if not, then he should shut up.

In the National Basketball Association (NBA), some of the teams are showing unexpected strengths in the playoffs. The Dallas Mavericks ousted the favorite LA Lakers 4-0. The Chicago Bulls ousted the Atlanta Hawks; then the Miami Heat ousted early favorite Boston Celtics. Well, I hope in the end, the NBA will have an exciting finals between two equal teams.

As an update about our enrollment at the Department of Political Science under the School of Law and Governance as of yesterday, we have admitted about 90 freshmen students and are aiming at three blocks for the first year. Enrollment is still going on. They can call us at 253-1000 local 211.

What happened to the town of Compostela last week was not necessary if it was only to call the attention of the Comelec. The forcible entry by Mayor-elect Quinio and his supporters just showed how irresponsible are we as Filipinos.

I think the political conflict in Compostela had been with them for the longest time, thanks to the 2nd division of the Comelec.

It is best for the Comelec to come up with a final decision to resolve the conflict in the said town. (Cebu Daily News)

He said that they will strictly implement waste segregation in the city.

The mayor will also study the suggestion of lawyer Benjamin Cabrido, an environmental consultant, to let households and establishments pay for an amount of 70 centavos per kilogram of waste generated.

Cabrido earlier proposed to the Solid Waste Management Board to mandate residents and establishments to pay for the garbage they throw.

Each garbage truck will be equipped with a weighing scale to determine how much a household or establishment should pay.

If Cabrido’s proposal is approved by the City Council and waste segregation is strictly implemented, only 20 percent of the average 200 metric tons of garbage thrown daily by Mandauehanons will need to be deposited in a landfill.

Cabrido said households will be compelled to segregate and recycle their non-biodegradable waste to lessen the amount they have to pay for garbage that needs to be collected.

With the city’s plan to convert the landfill into an eco-park, Cabrido said that for the meantime they will throw garbage in a private dumpsite in Consolacion.

They still have to inspect the site, he said.

Phase 1 of the P33 million Umapad dumpsite rehabilitation is about to begin, he said.

Cortes ordered the dumpsite closed last June 05, 2008. But it was only partly closed since the city doesn’t have an alternative dumpsite.

A sanitary landfill in barangay Polog, Consolacion town is privately owned, said Mayor Teresa Alegado. The landfill was 50 percent finished when she assumed as mayor.

Alegado said the landfill which cost P250 million features methane-to-energy converters from Asian Energy Corp.

The 6 hectare to 7 ha landfill is done but not yet operational, she said.

The converter requires tons of garbage before it can start producing power, she said.

The payment per ton of garbage is P700, Alegado said. (Cebu Daily News)