By Danilo P. Padua, PhD
Early Hours of last Tuesday, July 16, a portion of the Maharlika Livelihood Complex (MLC) was gutted by fire. About 8 stalls were damaged.
In a way, it is a grim reminder of what happened during the same date in 1990 when the city was struck by a violent earthquake late in the afternoon resulting in a lot of lives lost. Many buildings were decimated in mere seconds. Much more structures genuflected or partially damaged, including MLC.
The mall culture in Baguio City was started by MLC, when it was constructed way back in the early 1980s thru the Ministry/Department of Human Settlements headed by then First Lady Imelda Marcos. Other malls came about much later.
Part of the area occupied by MLC has gone through fires earlier. There was a so-called stone market before– a city landmark then– that was razed to the ground in the 1970s. It was demolished after the fire to give way to Mar-Bay, to which the fire survivors (more than 200 of them) were accommodated with a very benevolent stall rental fee.
When the Maharlika Livelihood Center was built, it incorporated Mar-Bay shortly thereafter. The original small stall fee of the fire victims was not increased. Until now, after more than 40 years of being fire survivors, their stall rental fees are so low compared to everyone else, that other stall lessees are wondering why it is so. By the way, the mall is now renamed as Maharlika Livelihood Complex.
Being a survivor has a long term benefit, even if it is already undeserved.
In recent years, several fires have gutted different portions of the market, latest of which was in March, 2023 resulting in the destruction of block 3. Each time, the razed portion became “modernized”-neat looking, more secure and more presentable. See the lesson there? Am not sure what happened to the survivors this time?
The July 16 fire at the parking area is unfortunate, considering that some of the 8 gutted stalls are just recently installed or renovated. It is fortunate though that the fire did not spread to other parts of the mall. The cooperation of many people and units- MLC management, BFP, people in the area, etc were in full display.
But one wonders though. MLC is just a stone’s throw away from the BFP but the small blaze was put out in about 3 hours. I don’t know about the precautionary measures being followed by the Fire Bureau, or what limited them, but to a layman like me, 3 hours to stop a small fire is quite long. Maybe a review of the relevant protocol is in order.
Investigation by the BFP, I think is already completed, as to the cause of the fire, but it is not yet publicly available. It’s possible that there was an electricity usage overload. There are more gadgets, appliances in the area plugged to a line with restricted capacity.
MLC is presently under liquidation mode and it is about to be turned over to the city government of Baguio next year per existing MOA. The MLC management, am sure, has a very limited ability to make things better for the complex, as its every movement will be under scrutiny by the COA, etc.
For security purposes, I think the MLC management should be given more flexibility in insuring the continuing integrity of the complex. Proper rehab and repairs, including electrical lines upgrading should still be a priority in its budgeting, even if it has only a few more months before being turned over.
o-o-o
Here’s another kind of survivor. It is just too familiar to many of us.” I declare myself as the the designated survivor”, that’s a tongue-in-cheek declaration of VP Sara some days back. It had been discussed over the various media platforms.
“It was a joke”, said many. “Whatever, we need to know what she means by that”, was the rejoinder many more. Later, VP Sara said, “If you did not get what I meant the first time, there is no reason to explain it.” People were expectant for an explanation, but in a short, swift quip, VP Sara nonchalantly quashed such expectations. Well, she also uttered the word Tambaloslos, and she did not explain what she meant by that. She added to her burgeoning vocabulary, Bagoong Pilipinas. And she was not asked what she had in mind by that. So why ask her about that phrase, Designated survivor.
Public officials, especially a VP, are duty-bound to explain their words uttered in public. They should not just brush off the queries. Their words carry a lot of weight. But I wont belabor anymore to know her explanation.
In my mind, VP Sara was just true to herself. I surmise that probably she knows of some hideous plans that when it is executed, it may decimate high officials of the land. The plan may have been hatched by somebody or people close to her, and that she doesn’t want to directly embarrass or disappoint them. In short, she did expose it by just a hint. This should make security preparations double-checked. She may have saved the lives of many, especially our high government officials.**
