Growing up in Metropolitan Manila for over 50 years is like witnessing a person grows up from a little healthy child and only to become an almost sickly old man.
Its just fortunate to have good metro managers since the creation of MMDA for otherwise it could have been worst. We can thus never forget the tandem of Madam Imelda and Mel Mathay, the down-to-earth "buhay ay aasenso" Jojo Binay, the iron fist and innovative Bayani and currently, the practical and hands-on Chairman Tolentino - all of them have, in a way, saved Metro from what I coined as "urbanidecatitis" or urban decay - the state of being afflicted with the adverse effects of reckless urbanization such as but not limited to traffic congestion, overpopulation, lack of discipline, pollution, unemployment, criminality and solid waste mishandling.
Urbanidecatitis is man-made. It is treatable and even the scars and marks which it produces and leaves can be removed. All that is needed is the resolve on the part of the people to cooperate with local authorities particularly the barangays, non-government organizations and themselves - meaning, change must start from within.
There is hope. There is time.
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