Heed people’s voice, flyover foes urge bets

A civil society group known for their anti-flyover stance kicked off their nine-day series of novena Masses for the “enlightenment of local leaders” at the Asilo de la Milagrosa Shrine at Gorordo Avenue, Cebu City at 6 a.m yesterday.

“This is just an ordinary usual mass in which the intention is for credible and clean election. Those who will win would have to listen to the voice of the people,” said Louella Alix, a convenor of the Movement for Livable Cebu in an interview.

Alix said the Mass didn’t dwell on what President Benigno Aquino III said on the viability of flyovers in his speech during last Friday’s joint rally of the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) and Liberal Party at the Capitol grounds.

The President said flyovers remain an immediate and viable solution to ease traffic congestion in Cebu City.

BO-PK leader Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district and his ally congressional candidate Raul del Mar are lobbying for the flyover projects.

President Aquino also said no other viable solutions were presented by flyover critics and it was up to the public whether or not to listen to them.

The MLC refuted the President’s statement, saying they presented alternative proposals.

One of them is the construction of flared intersections which they said is cheaper and can accommodate more vehicular flow than flyovers.

They also produced a YouTube video showing the disadvantages of flyovers.

MLC convenor Marc Canton earlier said they were disappointed with the president’s position.

He said they will continue to push for less-costly alternatives to flyovers like flared intersections.

Half of MLC’s core group or about 10 members attended the novena Mass accompanied by Sister Letty Derilo, shrine director. “We did not advertise,” Alix said.

Alix said they hope that the government’ should at least “read and listen to what the people said” based on the results of their survey on a sustainable Metro Cebu.

“Not one of them asked for a flyover,” Alix said referring to the respondents.

“If the winning candidates would read that (survey results), it clearly showed that people are looking for decent housing, good and widen roads, and the like,” Alix said. Correspondent Tweeny M. Malinao