A monkey on Manila’s back

There is a monkey, or maybe a huge gorilla, on Mayor Erap’s and Vice Mayor Isko’s back and they don’t seem to know or mind it.  It is on the back of every Manileño and nobody acknowledges it and does something about it.

The other week, I went to my barangay chairman and told him about the construction of an extension to an existing commercial structure that already stands partly on the sidewalk.  So this extension and another earlier extension already stand not only on the sidewalk but also on the street itself.  My chairman said he will look into the matter and gave instructions to his minions.  Today there is a pizza store occupying that squatter, plus the previous one which is now a sari-sari store and the original sari-sari store.  I went back to my chairman and told him about it.  He smiled his most beautiful smile and said that he will look into the matter.  Hmmmmmm.  One concerned neighbor asked, “How much is involved here?”