Ang Dabawenyo

At the threshold of summer… and it’s raining. I hear from my friends in Manila that it’s getting really hot over there, but here in Davao it’s been raining too much. Not that I’d rather it was hot here. But, the rain’s dampening my spirits. I’ve never really liked the rain — it’s always caused my mood to drop.

And two things happen when it rains here, two things that just gets to me. One: Some streets in Davao become waterways after only an hour’s downpour. I’m talking about “major” thoroughfares here: J.P. Laurel Ave. in front of Victoria Plaza (I’m there a lot); the roads surrounding our family compound; F. Torres St., which is the city’s restaurant row….

Two: Taxis suddenly become scarce the moment it starts to rain. Someone from the city government told me recently that there are now more than 2,000 taxis plying Davao’s streets. But when it’s raining, they seem to vanish into the moist air. And it’s not just Davao’s drainage system that gets clogged during rainy weather — it’s all the taxi phone lines as well!

Most of us, I’m sure, have noticed the constant digging that’s been going on around town: government projects to supposedly improve the drainage system. But there’s been no significant alleviation of the city’s flooding problem.

These infrastructure shortcomings just might prove to be a detriment to the city’s progress. And don’t get me started with the roads here, many of which are in desperate need of widening, not to mention repairing.

Back to the rain. It’s been raining for more than an hour as I write this. I’m sure our compound is now an island. And it’s a Friday night! Well, at least there’s some time to get some blogging done.