As a Manileño who has seen three mayors at its helm — Mel Lopez, Fred Lim and Lito Atienza — there was no doubt that Atienza built on what Lim has started and brought Manila back into the tourist map and initiated cultural revival and urban development.
I once thought that Manila was a lost cause because of urban decay but I was surprised by the transformation of the city — Roxas Boulevard, the city’s plazas and the public wet markets in particular. There is one thing that I disliked during Atienza’s term — it’s the proliferation of pedicabs along national and city roads.
I hesitantly voted for Ali Atienza, not because I did not appreciate his father’s accomplishments, but because of too much politicking and overexposure (like riding on the popularity of Pacquiao who is also losing in his congressional bid). To me, the accomplishments, which are obvious, should speak for themselves.
Now that it was clear that Senator Lim is set to take over the governance of Manila and after the Atienzas have accepted the defeat, these are the questions that are bugging my mind and given a chance, I would like to ask Mayor Lim personally:
- What will happen now to Baywalk and the other projects that beautify Manila?
- What will happen to Unibersidad de Manila (formerly City College of Manila)? Will it go back to the old PNB building along Escolta?
- Are we going to see a radical change in governance?
I have high regards for Senator Lim because he changed the image of Ermita and addressed the garbage problem of the city. I also voted for him in his bid for the Senate in the last 2004 elections. Am hoping that he will not be like some of our national leaders whose first project in office is to “undo” what his/her predecessors have accomplished, even if these projects have been beneficial.
May 21st, 2007 at 9:01 pm
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May 21st, 2007 at 7:23 pm
If Fred Lim will behave like trapos, he will undo what has been done by the previous Mayor. If he wants to be remembered a ONE of tthe GREAT MEN the will bring MANILA to its former GLORY he will work relentlessly to do that.
My only concern is whether he is still in touch with the latest Managerial skils and (whether) his foresight is far enough to crystalise VISION for MANILA and not ONLY Portray as the Dirty Harry. DIRTY HARRY is an OLD MOVIE, he Need Create a new Story LINE and Record.
I sincerely hope that as a Mayor, He should work for the benefits of MANILA, think independently and able to identify issues rather than just party loyalty. He owed his position to his constituents.
We hope that FRED LIM live the challenge to serve his constituents with INTEGRITY and HONESTY and PASSION.
LET US SEE WHETHER THIS LATEST MOVIE OF HIM is A BLOCKBUSTER or a POOH POOOh. ANY WAY, ALL THE BEST TO FRED LIM-Ang Mayor ng Maynila.
May 21st, 2007 at 9:40 am
I thought Manilenos would vote for Atienza because Manila indeed came alive. People knew their taxes were being spent well. You can’t blame Atienza though for riding on the popularity of Pacquiao because of his popularity with the masses. But I guess since Manila has come alive once more, people there have shifted their concern of cleaning up the city of vices, of which Lim is well known to address.
To Gilbert Agor,
It’s a racket alright but moral of the story is to keep within the bounds of the law. Should you be gone only for a few minutes, then make sure you have a spare driver.
May 21st, 2007 at 8:03 am
Manila is in good hands, Mayor Atienza really made alot of good changes. Mayor Lim, no one can end criminality best but him.
Ang masasabi ko lang, nagwoworry ako sa ating bayan ngayun. Parang halos lahat ay talagang magpapakamatay para lamang makakuha ng pwesto sa gobyerno. I feel the reson why our country cease to develop because of these adversities. Sana magkaisa na tayong lahat. Aminado ako, halos lahat ng Pinoy ay magagaling, kaso halos lahat din ay may “yabang” kaya’t di tayo magkasundo. So lets start work on being one.
May 21st, 2007 at 3:39 am
TO KINGKOY and to all other Manileños:
how would manila be a progressive city in terms of crimes and beautification if the incumbent Mayor(Atienza) is doing nothing but to fill his pockets? Didn’t you know that each lamp posts that are erected along Baywalk costs P400,000 a piece? try to drive by Baywalk and count how many lamp posts that are in there and multiply it by 400,000. It’s very impossible for a lamp post to cost that much. It’s like you’re buying a car!!! How would the city be progressive if Atienza is selling schools and lots in Manila? What about an historical site near the Central station of the LRT, it was gone because atienza put up a school in there(currently Unibersidad de Manila –which is known as CCM or central colleges of manila). CCM is originally located near Escolta. The former PNB building was bought by Mayor Fred Lim years back so that students that could not pay for an education can learn without paying a single centavo.
FYI: i have a friend who’s studying in UDM and whenever Atienza has some projects and needs a crowd to attend to him, he’s threatening the students through the President of UDM that if they do not attend they will fail their subjects and will eventually lose their scholarship. How rude can he (atienza) get?!
Atienza is doing all these projects for him to get rich!!! How could he produce a multi-million peso campaign for his party? How come he’s able to have their Grand rally aired on National Television? It all came from the taxes of Manileños! Simple graft and corruption! I will not be surprised if in the near future Lito Atienza will replace former Pres. Estrada in Tanay, Rizal.
Let’s just hope for the future that Fred Lim could solve the crime and prosperty in the city and pay all the debts of Manila because of Atienza, and hopefully have Atienza behind bars!