Friday, August 10, 2007

IN MEMORIAM...

BYE BYE BAYWALK...
When I first heard that Mayor Lim was going to ban alcohol and close down the performance stages on Roxas Boulevard because they were too loud, I was elated beyond belief. For three years I had to live with the shrilly strains of a karaoke machine until four am on a daily basis and the thought of a more "family-friendly", noise pollution-free Baywalk thrilled me to no end. But now I see that not only did he remove alcohol and bands, but the Cafe Adriatico, the Fruitas Fruit Shake Stand, The Ice Monster, and EVERY concessionare on the boulevard and Plaza Sulayman, I am once again in doubt of the wisdom of our new Mayor's decisions. Just last night, when I passed by the area, Roxas Boulevard was once again dark, deserted, scary, and littered only by the shadows of street children, stray dogs and vagrants. Sigh. Easy come. Easy go. Mayor Lim, I'm still not feeling you. Your first one hundred days are nearly up and you still haven't convinced me that you are a better choice for Manila. Time to get your groove on. So far, I just think you are a stuffy old goat who just killed the party. A cheezy, crowded party - yes. But it was still a party nevertheless...

I wonder how the businessmen who owned the concessions feel as well. I would definitely be p*ssed off if my contract was suddenly cancelled and my shop unceremoniously removed for reasons that were beyond my control and the "fault" of the previous administration.

C'mon Mayor, you could have just regulated the place better, you didn't have to kill it.