If I Were A Developer

There's another subdivision project being developed along Quimpo Boulevard. They've started the landfill about early last year and cutting down a few trees to make way. It's going to be another exclusive subdivision, which is quite ironic since along its supposed boundaries is a barangay full of squatters.

But, I digress. The question for me, this morning, is: what if I were a developer? What would be the defining characteristics of any project I would choose to develop?

So, let's dream, shall we?

If I were a developer, I want to be known, top of mind, as the greenest developer there is. It is a generally accepted fact that the construction industry is among the greatest polluters of all time and I want to change that image. How do I do that? I can start by changing the way subdivision projects are developed.

First stop, location. If I were a developer, I would choose areas which are more or less developed already. These maybe abandoned warehouse grounds, former quarry sites or garages. I would specialize in converting industrial zones into potential residential sites. Definitely, I would lower my costs in development especially if I'm good at lobbying the government to re-zone unused sites. Not only that, I don't have to deal with filling the land anymore or clearing it of vegetation or otherwise solving drainage issues along the way. 

But if I were not so lucky, I would choose sites which will put the least amount of stress on the surrounding environment, such as those near urbanized areas already. That way, I can minimize urban sprawl and habitat loss. I would also make sure that I preserve the majority of trees that are already there, even go as far as adapt my subdivision plan to not disturb their root beds. I would make trees a focal point in my project and will go to lengths to ensure that the roads and the lots do not go through them but instead showcase them as they appear.

Second stop, ceaseless adoption of green technologies. My roads will be made of permeable concrete, which will preserve water quality and reduce water runoff from precipitation. Other than that, my roads will be part of a greater infrastructure to generate clean energy. They will house underground pipes housing fluids, which will absorb the heat taken in by the roads, and, in turn, transfer the collected heat to exchangers which will, in turn again, power turbines to generate electricity.

I'll also make it a point to put in place stricter waste segregation policies and adopt more green technologies as they go, from replacing concrete pavement with greener alternatives or implanting foliage specially know for reducing air pollution and sustaining endemic species.

Third stop, market introduction of green building standards. I'll mainly be catering to high-end clients who put exclusivity and security at the top of their priorities. Why is this important? That's because they'll be more amenable to adopting building codes which, although sustainable, are also expensive. I'll be offering them the opportunity of residing in one of the country's premier subdivision estates in exchange for making their homes more environment-friendly. That means subjecting their building plans to LEED standards and, as a corollary, challenging the local community of architects and engineers to think greener.

Hopefully, this conscious program to raise awareness for green building will have a trickle-down effect, summarily encouraging other local developers to adopt the same standards.

If I were a developer, these will be the things that I will do.Unfortunately, the current developers that we have aren't gifted with the same degree of imagination.

The Ideal Girl

We were on our way home to Davao City after visiting Santa Maria for Weng's wedding. We were on board Ma'am Alav's car. I was with Jonna, Henry, Arnold, and, of course, Ma'am Alav.

Ma'am Alav asked each of us if we were admiring a girl in the office and why. It was katuwaan, a way to while away the time and, pretty soon, everyone was grinning. Then, it was my turn.

Going back, I mumbled something about liking a girl because of her work ethic. Definitely, I was lying through my teeth with that absurd answer (It only showed how uncomfortable I was with the question. Actually, a good work ethic is an admirable quality but it's not something you fall head over heels for).

What should my answer have been, really? If I were to paraphrase Ma'am Alav's question slightly, what is it that gets my attention first? What is it in a girl that will literally tug at my heart?

Unfortunately, that's something I haven't pondered about yet. Let me think about that for a second...

Biking Lanes

How about biking lanes in Davao City?

That's the idea behind the Cycle For Life initiative by MISSION. Aimed at increasing awareness for a more sustainable lifestyle among the citizens of Davao City, it also strives to promote the development of biking lanes in the city's major thoroughfares.

Why biking lanes, you might ask? That's because we are getting there anyway. The transportation system that we have right now is not sustainable in the long run. There's the issue of oil price instability which will only worsen as supply dwindles. Then, there's the huge dilemma of how to fit millions of vehicles in Davao City's already congested streets. In addition, there is the ongoing fight to lessen vehicle emissions and reduce pollution. 

For the rest of us, deciding to traverse the city through bicycles is one of the better options for transportation. Promoting the use of bicycles not only addresses the congestion problem, the obesity problem, the pollution problem, or even our increasing dependence on oil. It also sends a clear image of what this city stands for in terms of priorities; promoting the humble bicycle is our statement that we, Dabawenyos, value sustainable living above all else.

Hence, designating bicycle lanes is the next step in the process. Through bicycle lanes, riders are more protected against vehicles and, with this incentive, more people will be compelled to ride in two wheels.

I don't really know the status of the ordinance seeking the creation of bicycle lanes in Davao City. But for now, bicycle lanes remain a vision, a fantasy, in the city. But if it can help make the vision clearer, here's a New York post about a citizen who has made this vision a reality. 

If she can do it, why not us?

Rethinking The Scholar

I shouldn't be writing this post. Maybe, I'm just pretentious, assuming even. I'm not a scholar. My parents were and my friends shared a bit about their lives as scholars for the country. But that in no way make me an expert in these things.

So, now that I've let that out, let me talk about scholarship grants. The process itself is first an objective then a subjective one. After the preliminary tests to gauge academic ability, the selection process then involves real people, this time, through the form of interviews and/or essay writing marathons. Candidates are assessed by how they conduct themselves during the interview, by their answers obviously, and by the values that they presumably hold. 

For me, I feel uncomfortable with the subjective side of the process. All of us, even expert interviewers, are not exempt from biases and even veteran school administrators hold a certain preference for those candidates who embody the qualities of what they think the ideal scholar should have. The concern here would be the introduction of scholars into the student body who, although brilliant, are quite homogeneous with each other.

I would rather prefer that psychological tests determine the right candidates for the scholarship and that interviews and essays be a mere formality, a method of confirming what the tests have revealed about the candidate. It may seem robotic and straightforward (yes, it is) but this way, I believe, provides a clearer picture of the candidates that a one-on-one or even a panel interview might distort. 

Tests can measure an individual's self-motivation, his or her will to succeed. Tests can measure what values do each one hold and if one has the moral ascendancy to merit a scholarship grant. Interviews on the other hand may be skewed by a candidate's eloquence and charisma, qualities that, although important, should be secondary to a person's attitude towards life and his internal environment (Besides, eloquence and charisma can always be taught. Attitude is another matter altogether).

I may be wrong though. Like I've said, I'm not a scholar. But I hope some would consider my view as something worthy of merit.

A Twisted Sense of Beauty

We are funny. I mean...we men are. When it comes to physical beauty, we are quite infatuated by women who have the wrong characteristics.

For instance, most of us like boobs, big boobs. Some would point to leftover evolutionary instincts which equate cleavage size with reproductive capacity as the reason for this (but I don't buy that reasoning). But big breasts are actually potential health hazards for women. Being heavier, they exert more stress on the muscles, causing occasional shoulder and back pain, not to mention affecting a woman's mobility when she's on the move.

We also like women with fair complexion, often bordering on the anemic.But a light complexion is most often synonymous with low levels of vitamin D, since most women who sport light complexions don't get under the sun often enough.

We love women who are thin, sometimes dangerously thin. But these women are most often anorexics, bulimics, or victims of some other anxiety disorder.

Truly, our standard for beauty is not healthy. The sad thing is some women seem to agree that our standard is just right.