Open letter to Bicol Leaders and Politicians

This letter is triggered by repetitive comments of friends and constant travelers from Bicol to Manila about the never-ending road blocking activities at the Andaya Highway in Camarines Sur. The highway, formerly known as the Quirino Highway was created through Presidential Decree 774 by former President Ferdinand Marcos. It was planned to be the shortest way to Naga City from Sta. Elena, Camarines Norte by-passing the circuitous route via Camarines Norte.

It was first opened in 1984, closed intermittently until its complete opening in 2004, where by virtue of Republic Act No. 9234 signed on January 16, 2004, it was renamed as Rolando R. Andaya Highway. It covers about 100 kilometers from the junction of Tabogon, Sta. Elena, Camarines Norte to the junction of the Maharlika Highway of Sipocot, Camarines Sur. Ideal travel time in the distance could cover less than one hour under ordinary road conditions

In my case I have travelled by car the whole stretch of the Pan-Philippine or Maharlika highway, internationally designated as Asian Highway 26 (AH26) from Mindanao where I worked for three years at the latest, to Bicol, and the cordillera’s northernmost provinces of Luzon. It is a 3,500+ kilometer of roads and bridges that comprise the backbone of the national land transport system – and I can declare with the saddest conviction that the Camarines Sur section, called the Andaya Highway is definitely the worst segment!”

I am not alone in this predicament. Let me share some of the 80+ reactions and comments of Nitizens in Facebook about my observation:

• I agree, with the distance from Manila to Naga it should take 4-5 hours drive, what century are we in?

• True, guinonarngan ta na ayos, Kalkal, hehehe walang katapusan.

• I strongly agree sir, we have the worst, dai na natapos tapos ang gabos na trabaho sa tinampo can camsur – hayyyy.

• I was out for 20 years, balik ko mas worst pa.

• Too much corruption, kaya mga ampaw an mga tinampo sa camsur. Daog lamang kan mga kalsada sa Albay.

• Could not agree more.

• Totoo talaga yan Sir, sa Camarines Sur hindi tumatagal ang kalsada.

• Andaya highway is the most shameful highway in the world. Courtesy of shameless thieves who make fortunes @ the sufferings of Bicolanos!!! Minions of satan.

• Super thieves of Camarines Sur, are you not ashamed of the superhighways of Sorsogon??? Aren’t you humans anymore?

• Malaki ang porsyento ng mga politicians dyan kaya within two years na sememto ng kalsada dahil sa mahina ang mixture! Di ba Malaki kita nila every two years?

• And daming taga Bicol tayong mga Solons..bakit ganyan…puro kurap ba sila at mayayaman pa…balwarte ng mga drug lords.

• Ang palaging sinasabing palusot ng DPWH ang distritong nakakasakop ay mahina daw and bearings ng lupa…hell! Don’t give us that crap!! Alam naming magkakakuchaba kayong mga kawatan ng mga trapong mga kabarkada ninyo. Sirvenuensa kayong mga magnanakaw.

There you are! We Bicolanos know and have been waiting for action!