I was born in Bacolod City and stayed there until I finished high school in Bacolod City High School in 1969. So, a feeling of nostalgia grips me whenever I visit the city. It also makes me wish that my beloved city has maintained its grandeur.
I could still vividly see the Bacolod City Plaza, which served as a popular go-to place in the 1960's. There was this area called Seawall near the public plaza. Atop its staircase, one can see the breathtaking panoramic view of the sunset.
When I walked home from school, I used to hear ballroom music coming from the building beside Seawall. There, couples danced the rumba, cha-cha, tango and other ballroom dancing genres.
Also near the Seawall, cars were parked while passengers enjoyed the burger and spare ribs bought from the nearby kiosks. I saw some people drink coffee and while they sipped with gusto, I had to contend myself with the smell of hot brewed coffee and imagine myself in their shoes, indulging in that luxury. I lived a humble life, so daydreaming was my way of momentarily experiencing the culture of the rich.
During Christmas, other kids and I ride a jeep to go to a local beverage bottling company in order to watch their Christmas decors. It was their tradition, a gesture of thanks to their clients.
At other times, I went to the theatre to watch movies. Bacolod City had movies houses very closed to each other. Some popular movie houses were Empress, State, Iris, Real, Florideth and Ambassador.
Being a child of the fifties, I saw the transformation of my beloved city from its "golden age" to its present miserable condition.
I had an unfavourable experience while spending the night at the Bacolod Plaza prior to my early departure next morning back to Oton (my new home) recently. Coming from a dinner party, I decided to relax at the plaza. I occupied a spot where an old palm tree used to grow when I was still a child. The same place where I gathered bat manure for our school garden because it was a natural habitat for bats (aligit-it).
As I was looking upwards the starry sky, a female tanod approached and told me to get out of the plaza. When I asked why, she referred me to a certain Narciso Aragon, their team leader. While holding a piece of wood (for a while, I thought he was going to hit me), Aragon asked "Nga-a ano problema mo?" in a provoking manner. He added that Mayor Evilio "Bing" Leonardia has ordered that plaza abandoned at all times by 10 in the evening. This curfew for minors has been observed by everybody, he said. A certain Joemel Solinap, City General Services Office head is implementing the order, he added.
The reason for implementing the curfew, according to Aragon is to discourage criminal activities that may occur inside the plaza hence they have to enclose the area every night and open at 4 the next morning.
Crimes happen anytime, anywhere. Restricting people by implementing a curfew obscurely in a public plaza is not a deterrent to criminal acts.
Definitely, I am in favor for the implementation of curfew to minors but forcing this to responsible adults is tantamount to stupidity. I confirmed this with the Bacolod Public Information Office and a certain Angie Carmona said that the ordinance is implemented for minors only.
See how some people like Narciso Aragon resort to egoistic approaches for their convenience.*
