legislative lambasts and literacy labels

let me start off with the usual political rant unique to the republic of bagoong, bananas, & binalot: yup, she'll be politicking more than governing now. it's useless to look for economic targets, since she'll be using her powers to pay her debts to those who had supported her and will continue to support her until 2010. dang.

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we keep on whining about how the 3B republic has gone to the dogs, but i'm not so sure. one indication of this is our literacy rate. it has always been trumpeted in the old days that we have the highest literacy rate, second to japan of course (it's always the 2nd best to japan in the old days). now, most of the illustrados think that the masa is a bunch of unread, money-hungry ingrates waiting for the next hakot fee.

then i take a look at our road signs.

since our leaders are desperate for attention and name-recognition, they always mark their projects with billboards containing their name and sometimes hideous visages. even for construction work, there would be a long label. consider this example (although not the real poster, it's an apporximation; makati workers passing through edsa ayala would recognize this):

Starting January 15, 2005, Makati Avenue from Ayala Avenue will be closed to traffic due to the construction of the underpass, effective from 10am to 6pm. Please take alternative routes.

now this may seem like a short sentence, but consider that this sign takes up 5-6 lines in the billboard so it can be seen by passing motorists. in other countries, a "no entry" sign or the red circle with the white dash would suffice. "No entry, construction ongoing" would be loquacious.

some may say, this is in english, no one would understand this. but consider also the signs of the MMDA:

bawal tumawid, nakamamatay

(or something to that effect).

yes, one may see it as the government expecting too much from people to read the signs. but apparently, reading the signs give a stronger message than just the symbol.

just thinking aloud :P