GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 10 Sep) – A move to rename more than a dozen streets in this city with names of other localities in the country and abroad drew flak from residents who asserted there are more pressing matters that need to be addressed than renaming streets.
A proposed ordinance wants to change Bayabas St. in General Santos City to Katherine Town Northern Territory St. in honor of this Australian city, which has sisterhood ties with GenSan. Photo from Google Map’s Street View
Among the proposed street names are Yong-In City, Korea to replace Pina Street and Adelaide City, Australia to replace Chico Street in barangay Dadiangas North in this city.
“Karambola! Sobrang nakakalito ang ganyan. (Chaotic! That would be absolutely confusing),” protested a tricycle driver.
The proposed ordinances were presented on first reading during the regular session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod on Tuesday. The proposals include the renaming of at least 14 streets in the urban barangays of Dadiangas North and Dadiangas West.
City councilor Elizabeth Bagonoc, who introduced the proposed ordinances to the City Council on Wednesday, denied it was her idea to rename city streets, pointing out that the proposals came from the tourism division of the City Economic Management and Cooperative Development Office.
“The proposal has been there for a time, I just inherited it,” said Bagonoc, who recently assumed the City Council’s Committee on Tourism.
Told about antagonistic reactions by residents on the proposal, the veteran councilor said it is still best that the matter be presented to the City Council for deliberation and scrutiny “to see its advantages and disadvantages.”
She said the renaming of the streets is in keeping with the thrust of the current city administration to pursue sisterhood ties among various cities which will have economic gains for the city.
She cited the Hadano Park in this city, which was developed following the forging of a sisterhood pact with Hadano City in Japan. City officials also renamed Jersey a street here after forging sisterhood ties with Jersey City in the United States.
City vice mayor Rosalita Nunez, City Council presiding officer, cautioned Bagonoc on her move because the renaming of streets falls under the purview of the barangays.
Nunez told the proponents of the proposed ordinances to first consult with concerned barangays “before you commit further errors.”
The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) guidelines on renaming streets and other public structures, however, mentioned only that “the sanggunians of component cities may, in consultation with the National Historical Institute, change the name of streets … within its territorial jurisdiction.”
The NHCP guidelines mandate that the proposed names “must have historical and cultural significance,” should be “short and simple for practical and aesthetic reasons,” and discourages using names “which are complicated and confusing,” among others.
The same NHCP rule states that a public place cannot be renamed if the present name has attained a degree of historical association and has developed an importance of its own.
Also, no portion of a street or road may be renamed if it would tend to disrupt the continuity of its present name, the NHCP said.
The proposed street name revisions are as follows:
– Angeles City Street for North-Purok 3-Road in Barangay Dadiangas North
– Bataan Province Street for Atis Street Extension in Barangay Dadiangas West
– Lucena City Street for Lukban Street in Barangay Dadiangas West
– Naga City Street for North-Purok 3-001 in Barangay Dadiangas North
– San Fernando City Street for North-Purok 3-Road D in Barangay Dadiangas North
– Iloilo City Street for North-Purok 01-001 in Barangay Dadiangas North
– Makati City Street for North-Purok 01-002 in Barangay Dadiangas North
– Quezon City Street for North-Purok 01-003 in Barangay Dadiangas North
– Yong-In City, Korea Street for Piña Street in Barangay Dadiangas North
– Adelaide City, Australia Street for Chico Street in Barangay Dadiangas North
– Katherine town Northern Territory for Bayabas Street in Barangay Dadiangas North
– Manado City, Indonesia for Macopa Street in Barangay Dadiangas North
– Shantou City, Guangdong Province China for Pina Street in Barangay Dadiangas North
– Bacolod City Street for North-Purok 01-004 in Barangay Dadiangas North
– Camiling, Tarlac Street for Pili Street in Barangay Dadiangas North
– Dingalan, Aurora Street for Apple Street in Barangay Dadiangas North
– Mabalacat City Street for North-Purok 3-Road A in Barangay Dadiangas North
Newsman Jun Mendoza opined, “How can we instill historical sense and pride to our younger generations if we keep on renaming our roads and streets?”
“Since General Santos is a city built by the fishing industry, why not rename the streets with fish species?” remarked fish vendor Gilbert Pangamal of Barangay Bawing here. (Rommel G. Rebollido / MindaNews)
