Politician's Waiting Shed

This country was blessed with a tropical climate that only serve 2 conditions, rainy days and hot dry summer. There was, most of the time, dry sunny days during school days, only when it is mid July to September when the hardest rains hit the land, they call it moonsoon rains. During this period, it is hard for a public commuter like me to catch a ride from a jeepney especially when I'm on a rush.

To solve such an discomfort for the people, waiting sheds have been erected. Politicians boasts their projects, most of them, waiting sheds. Many of these, sub-standards, could not even hide you from rain if it rained with certain winds. You'll get wet, even inside these waiting sheds.

But that supposedly solution, has also become more of a problem, I think.

One, it has been a case of graft and corrupt practices for politicians here in the Philippines. Many of these sub-standard waiting sheds caused 5 to 10 times more than they should. These sheds caused more, in almost every corner, you'll see one. Even along the major hi-ways, numerous numbers of these waiting sheds can be seen, all of them, produced by politicians. There was no definite design to standardize them, you won't even see a toilet (portable or installed) near it that when you need to pee, you simply go to the back wall of the shed and release!

Another thing, it has been a major attitude changer for Filipinos riding public transport. Jeepneys would stop anywhere, where there are people waiting, not minding other users of the road. It has spoiled the commuters that they would stop the bus or jeepney to the nearest possible site to their destination. Is it the driver or the commuter that should be blamed for traffic? I think, providing standard waiting shed and terminal at designated places will lessen traffic, would provide discipline among us, would save more of our energy. Look at Singapore, even taxi's won't bother to stop at you when you are not on the right waiting / passenger terminal or shed.

Due to poverty, this sheds had also become home for those without home, hideouts / posts for sub-culture groups like fraternities and gangs, vendor's business places, and vandals favorite areas. Some people even rob these sheds of roof and posts to use in making their huts. During the nights, you won't feel safe waiting in these sheds when you see groups of young men drinking, or doing the pot, or just chatting in there, you'll feel like if someone of them made fun of you and you retaliate, all of them would come banging your face. It has been a territorial post for them.

Can't this politicians think of other useful projects to make the community worthwhile? Why not conduct business seminars, or host projects to kick start a business that would help generate income to the poor ones? With so many people without a job, or not in school or in any other worthwhile activity, they could think of nothing good but to associate with people like them and plan things that we are regretting. How many have died because of gang wars and frat wars? How many got involved in hold-ups and robberies, all done in waiting sheds and dark places near it?

I think, it is time that this politicians think not only of themselves but also think for the general good of the people, not limiting projects to waiting sheds but to think further for progress.