Back in February I posted an article about a leaning crosswalk light. The light had actually been dangerously leaning against the roof of the market since January. In vain I waited to see how long it would take for the light to be fixed. Six months passed and it was still leaning. So I decided to get to the bottom of it. Why was this light still not fixed?
Here is the light on June 3rd.
The first place to ask questions was the management office of the market. I walked up the stairs and knocked on the door. Only two people were inside. They offered me a seat and I asked about the light. Why was it not fixed yet and who is supposed to fix it?
"We told the City Administrator's Office but they have not responded," I was told.
I thanked the man for the information and made my way to City Hall after I snapped the above photo.
The City Administrator's office was high on the third floor. I made my way through the building and was shown a seat where I waited to talk to someone. The lady I spoke with asked me what I needed and I showed her the photo I took.
"This crosswalk light has been leaning on the roof of the market for six months now and I want to know when it will be fixed. The officials at the market said they informed this office but no action has been taken."
"Sir," she said, "you must write a letter of complaint before we can do anything."
"But here is the picture. What need for a letter? Just send out a crew to fix the light."
"Sir, you must write a letter."
There was no way out. A letter must be written so a letter I wrote. Who can understand the ways of bureaucracy? Two days later I returned only to be turned away because all government offices were closed due to it being Eid al-Fitr or the last day of Ramadan. Why were there no signs posted about this closure when I visited previously? What a waste of my time!
It was next afternoon when I finally delivered my letter. The receptionist stamped my copy and that was that. It as hardly a letter of complaint. More a statement of fact.
Dear Atty. Juan Orola, Jr.;
I am writing about a crosswalk light which has been broken for six months and is in dire need of repair. This light is located at Burgos Market on the corner of Burgos and Hilado streets. As you can see in the picture below the light is leaning on the roof of the market and is a hazard to all who work at the market. The light has been in this condition for six months. Please direct the relevant agencies to repair this light before someone gets hurt.
Thank you for your time
When I told others that I was going to write this letter they responded don't do it. Only the barangay captain could write such a letter and I would be branded persona non-grata I was told. I said the lady in the office instructed me to write a letter, why would she tell me to do so if only the barangay captain can write one? The thought that my letter might be all for nothing lingered in the back of my head as I left City Hall.
The only thing to do now was wait and see if the light got fixed. On Monday June 10th I received the following text message from the City Administrator.
What an exciting message! It meant the City Administrator read my letter and I was not going to be branded persona non-grata. But how long would it take to fix the light? A few weeks? Months? Certainly not right away especially as Wednesday was Independence Day and it would surely take more than one day to send out teams to complete the necessary repairs.
Turns out I was wrong. I don't know when they did it but by Thursday morning, June 13th, the light was wholly fixed.
They even set it on a new base which means it was fixed correctly and not haphazardly.
The speed with which my letter was acted upon is encouraging but raises a few questions. Did the management office of the market really contact the City Administrator's office? Did they submit a letter? If so why would the City Administrator act upon mine but not theirs? If they did not submit the requisite letter then why did they fail to do so? Why even have to write a letter in the first place? Why not just be able to call a hotline to report things which need fixing? Why not take my photo as proof enough and send out a crew immediately?
None of us mere mortals will ever understand the mysteries of bureaucracy but the quick action upon reception of my letter gives me encouragement. I wonder what else I can have fixed with only a letter.
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