By Ben Contreras LEONOR Esparcia, Ricardo Valerio, Dennis Naïve and Melchor Luna, city hall’s “harassed” employees, have reported back to work. Here’s the take of our avid reader Raul Padua: “[They] reported back to RTA on Wednesday, Nov. 14, fifteen days after receiving the Civil Service Commission’s decision denying the Motion for Reconsideration filed by Emano. Once again and as expected, the ‘lord’ demonstrated his contempt of the law by ignoring the CSC order. He has, instead, sought to get a TRO (Temporary Restraining Order) from the Court of Appeals. The arguments that they postulated in their request for a TRO are the same as those cited in their MR which the CSC denied. With this as basis, the granting of TRO is a remote possibility. However, some people say that the ‘lord’ just might be able to get a TRO with some justices at the CA owing debts of gratitude to him.” I would be interested very much to know who they are, if ever! Padua continues: “The ‘lord’ or to borrow Peter Clarete’s term, the ‘prime squatter,’ prides with not having ever lost a case or an election. He employs all means... to ensure that he wins. The Valerio et al triumph will be a big blow to his bloated ego, thus, he sees to it that these men will not be reinstated while he is still in power.” Indeed, he employs all means to get what he wants and his greatest means is money. Allegedly, he believes that everyone has a price, even justices. Padua adds: “I may be digressing but I have just recently heard that the city has a new traffic director. Through this column, I’d like to address this to him: Sir, we are not asking you to defy or be confrontational with the city officials. They are, in a way, your superiors, too. But if we can eliminate side by side parking among public utility vehicles while waiting for passengers, if we can stop left-turning vehicles from occupying the right-most lanes while waiting for the light to change, if we can stop vehicles from running through a red light, if we can compel public utility vehicles to load and unload only in designated areas, if we can strictly enforce the no parking rule and if we can stop ‘tri-sikads’ from operating in busy thoroughfares, this will be a big step towards improving our city’s traffic. If you can do this on your own, Sir, that will be great. We cannot rely on our inept and inutile city officials to do this for they are afraid to lose people’s votes. We cannot even rely on the RTA head, a mediocre, who has no knowledge at all about traffic management and who has risen from the ranks only by being a toady.’” If the new traffic director is the one I have in mind, I doubt he would matter in improving our traffic unless he was able to get the nod of the “prime squatter” to give him a free hand. He may have all the good intentions but the bigger question is, “Is he ready to…..”? In fairness to the RTA head, I believe he is trying his best. But as you know, Raul, lisud baya gyud banggaon si ‘lord.’ I hope his (Nonito Oclarit’s) wish comes true!

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Collecting garbage would have been a lot easier if only we could teach people on proper disposal of their wastes. As the population grows, so does the volume of garbage. But garbage would soon find its way to better use. An Australian firm, the Multi Core Technology Resources, in partnership with the Mackay Group may just offer the right solution to the problem. Two complementing technologies, the Waste and Turbine, have been integrated into the waste to energy system. Considering that our country has more than 80 cities that produce more than 500 tons of garbage per day, think of what this technology can do for our environment. Our city produces more than 300 tons of garbage a day. A 300-ton waste can produce 15 megawatts. That’s “green” electricity. Its estimated cost per kilowatt hour is only around P0.68 compared to fuel which is P7.32 and P10.83 (diesel). There’s more to learn about this technology and I would love to write more about this in the future.

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The 2009 Maguindanao Massacre case enters its third year without a clear sign of justice for the victims. The “unseen hands” must be very powerful that they can delay the process, buy time until people forget all about it. But the vigilance of the media as a whole won’t allow justice to fail. That is why every 23rd of the month, we remember the day with a simple mass and prayers for justice to prevail. The 23rd of November, tomorrow, will not be an ordinary day. It marks another year of hoping, praying and seeking for justice to triumph.