[Feature photo at home page is from Neil Marion dela Cruz, flickr]
These are everywhere. On the sidewalk, on the road. A road block, or a seat. If you’re at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, you may perhaps have went gaga over these.
Ladies and gentlemen, the UPLB banga.
The UPLB Banga. Photo credit: Neil Marion dela Cruz, flickr
O banga, hi banga!
Oh yes, the UPLB banga. Professors actually call these road bollards, which, according to Wikipedia, are rigid posts that can be arranged in a line to close a road or path to vehicles above a certain width or to separate traffic from pedestrians.
If you were thinking that the banga, I mean bollards, are useless in UPLB, well, no; it actually has a use. It is in fact a part of a development plan in the University.
O banga, hi banga!
The basic function of the banga is to protect people at the sidewalks of UPLB from vehicles. Sino ba naman ang tangang babangga ng tao kung makikita niyang may bangang nakaharang? The sets of banga, or bollards, are actually a part of a plan that tries to connect the whole university campus. According to reports from UPLB Link and UPLB Horizon, these bollards are actually part of a plan to connect various parts of the University, from Kanluran and Silangan Avenues down to the CCP Hostel. The University also plans to have a bicycle lane system in the campus using the sidewalks at Kanluran and Silangan Avenues.
Despite the beautiful plans for UPLB involving these banga, I mean bollards, there are people who are disappointed about these bollards, I mean, banga.
O banga, hay, banga.
The bollard plan seems to be in full swing now, as the Silangan Avenue’s sidewalk is having a mass renovation [when I say mass renovation, I mean binakbak na ang lahat ng puwedeng madaanan]. The whole sidewalk is really having a facelift, and it is causing trouble and hassle to some.
O banga, hay banga.
The loading/unloading zones at St. Therese Parish were blocked by bollards, causing traffic jams, especially during Friday afternoons. Photo credit: weeroberto.wordpress.com
The two loading/unloading zones within the vicinity of St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish were in fact closed by these bollards. When this happened, heavy traffic jams happened almost every afternoon, especially during Fridays, when students go home to their hometowns. This, however, has already been corrected, as the bangas at the loading/unloading zone at the church’s facade have been eradicated. However, the bollards at the other are still there.
O banga, hay banga.
Many students complain about outdated books at the library. Many complain about the quality and even lack of chairs at various lecture halls, especially at lecture halls with permanent, mounted seats. Many complain about dilapidated facilities, such as classrooms, and even comfort rooms. Many are having complaints about old facilities. Many are complaining about lack of servers of UPLB SystemOne. [In a SystemOne orientation, Mr. Ricolindo Cariño told students that they and their parents must tell the administrators to allot more funds for online academic services. And, by the way, SystemOne improved this semester, according to upperclassmen.]
O banga, hay banga.
The banga, spread all around UPLB, are not just bollards. These are symbols – they symbolize UP’s aesthetics [it even seems to be UP's flagship aesthetic program], UP’s dedication to make UPLB a bike- and side walker-friendly university, and perhaps, UPLB’s problems regarding facilties and outdated books, among others.
I have nothing against the bollards, I think that it is a way to make a safer walkway. However, come to think of it: if the funds for the banga were used for acquisition of more new and updated books, or more chairs, or more ventilation for classrooms, or renovation of old classrooms, or even more SystemOne servers, then the money would have gone indeed to its supposed end users: the students, teachers, and the UPLB community.
Now, it’s up to you. Are you going to sing “O banga, hi banga!” or are you going to frown and sing “O banga, hay banga”?
Discussion
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