For the last two weeks, we patiently monitored the traffic condition along CPG North Avenue in front of the Bohol Wisdom School. Our mole late last year informed us that the traffic situation there has already improved. So we wanted to see the actual situation in the area and we found out that: the traffic congestion during peak hours, 6 to 7 o'clock in the morning and 5 to 6 o'clock n the afternoon, from Monday to Friday is still there. Passing in the area during these hours is like being in hell. Fortunately, the traffic congestion, unlike before, no longer started in front of the Citi Hardware along CPG North Avenue. The traffic flow came to a halt in front of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) up to the Petron Gas Station. Three things contributed to the traffic congestion in the area: one, left turn crossing of vehicles coming from the Halls of Justice and the DPWH First Engineering District office; two, parking of vehicles in both sides of the road but this is being closely monitored by the traffic enforcers being assigned there and three, unrestricted u-turn of vehicles fetching BWS students.

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Our good friend, Leah Tirol-Magno, registrar of the University of Bohol, shared in her Facebook account two situations which mall owners in the city should try to consider upon. She said that in the local malls, they have this policy that the security guards check the bags of everyone who enters the mall. It would be nicer if only when the customers come in, the security guards would greet them by saying the usual courtesies: good morning ma'am or sir, welcome to the mall. But she said we always receive an "unwelcome" gesture. When the security guards check on the bag, they opened everything to the extent that the bag was almost damaged because of the thorough inspection. She almost exclaimed: “excuse me guard, please be careful, it's a Prada!” but the problem is if the guard will retort by asking: “kinsa na siya?” Hehehe.

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In another episode, she expounds on the experience of a shopper.
In a local department store, the customer was browsing and asked the sales clerk, "Miss, tagpila ning MAC Studiofix ninyo?" Before the sales clerk answered, she made a head to toe look at the customer then replied, "tag P2,000 plus" and rolled her eyes. Thus, she obviously had no plans to do sales talk to the customer and so the customer said "ah, okay." The customer wanted to tell the sales clerk that "Excuse me Miss, I am just curious because I have been using MAC for the last eight years". Well, sales clerks like her, needs further training, to the detriment of the store owner.

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What's this were hearing that the favorite object of the commentaries of a local radio station is the present city hall dispensation? They have questioned the so-called Borja Role at the city hall, referring to City Administrator Edi Borja, Consultant Ondoy Borja and Charles Borja who allegedly always exclaims, “isumbong ta mo ni mayor!” if somebody at the city hall does not follow his instructions. We do not want to make any comment, least, we may be accused of being political.

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They also hit the lack of leadership on the part of the city mayor who just relied on his consultants and advisers. They said that the city is now being run by consultants and advisers rather than by the city mayor himself. That would be quite a judgmental observation. We just give Mayor Baba Yap the chance to lead the city and make our conclusions at the end of his term. In the first place, we already found it already consoling that there is no more media attack, both left and right, against the incumbent city mayor unlike the former city hall dispensation. From the very start of this column, we already pronounced that we will not delve into something political in nature as we are a political animal also. Amen.

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POSTSCRIPT: Dudot marked his 5th natal day last Wednesday, the feast day of St. Arnold Janssen. Unfortunately, he had his afternoon classes at the Victoriano D. Tirol Advanced Learning Center (VDT-ALC) on that day. Thus, he could not mark his birthday celebration the whole day. He started his day by attending a holy mass at the St. Joseph Cathedral at lunch time before proceeding to his class and started to distribute goodies to his classmates and to his best friends during the dinner time. We wanted to instill in the mind of Dudot that it is always best to give rather than to receive. Belated happy birthday, Dan Ryn Arnoldus…There's more when we return.