What Used to be Mindanao Street (February 26, 2017)

 

 

Sunday morning found me with some idle time, patiently in wait for my lady passengers who had a round of purchases to attend to.

So sat in our parked pick-up truck lazily contemplating what inane thought came to mind. Parked along Tiano Bros. St. which stretches north to south, from Licoan all the way to Dolores (now Fernandez) Street. The spotted camera set the next course of action, which obviously was to take pictures.

In our youth this street was known as Mindanao St., and had been a quiet narrow road lined with residential timber buildings. One of several streets running parallel with the main street Del Mar (now A. Velez) St., much like somebody or something keeping in the shadows of its more famous and more trodden partner.

Not anymore. Now the sky is darkened with the heavy outlines and shadows of high-rise or just tall buildings, some spilling into the narrow street and obscuring one’s views. When did all this happen? Imperceptibly it seems, but maybe we just got distracted by the slew of other and grander construction around other parts of the city.

Anyway, all look impressive, but a lingering doubt dampens the bright prospects. How will these buildings stand a good-size tremor which phenomenon appears recently to be peppering other parts of our big island? When do we get ours for as they say it is only a matter of “time”? We have never been tested by tremors of such magnitude.

To keep tranquil peace and fear, we set aside such ominous thoughts. So enjoy the images, unmistakable signs of a city bursting at the seams and had been a quiet narrow road lined with residential timber buildings. One of several streets running parallel with the main street Del Mar (now A. Velez) St., much like somebody or something keeping in the shadows of its more famous and more trodden partner.

Not anymore. Now the sky is darkened with the heavy outlines and shadows of high-rise or just tall buildings, some spilling into the narrow street and obscuring one’s views. When did all this happen? Imperceptibly it seems, but maybe we just got distracted by the slew of other and grander construction around other parts of the city.

Anyway, all look impressive, but a lingering doubt dampens the bright prospects. How will these buildings stand a good-size tremor which phenomenon appears recently to be peppering other parts of our big island? When do we get ours for as they say it is only a matter of “time”? We have never been tested by tremors of such magnitude.

To keep tranquil peace and fear, we set aside such ominous thoughts. So enjoy the images, unmistakable signs of a city bursting at the seams.