A child got injured yesterday when part of the roof of this small structure in Baroy Plaza, right in front of Sto. Niño Parish Church in Baroy, Lanao del Norte, collapsed. I’m not exactly sure what this is officially called — maybe an information booth, a small gallery, or a mini exhibit space showcasing photos of Baroy’s history — but calling it a “museum” feels like too much.
If you look at the photo, you can see how its blue roofing gave way, leaving debris scattered all over the floor. Imagine if more people, especially children, were inside when it happened. It’s truly alarming. I hope the child who got injured recovers quickly and fully from this incident.
From what I’ve heard, this structure is part of the ₱10 million plaza improvement project under former Baroy Mayor Grellina Lim. Please correct me if I’m wrong. But let’s be real — here in the Philippines, when you hear about a ₱10 million project, you can’t really expect the entire ₱10 million was actually spent on it. This isn’t just happening in Baroy; it’s the same story in almost 99% of places across the country. And it’s not only mayors — corruption exists in practically every level of government, from the smallest barangay positions up to the highest national offices. The sad reality is that a large portion of public funds often ends up in the pockets of leaders and officers instead of truly serving the people.
People might bash me for saying this, but it’s the truth that many choose to ignore. It doesn’t even matter who’s in office — whether it’s the former mayor or the current one — the system has always been like this, and people have just gotten used to it. Sadly, it is what it is.
This accident should serve as a wake-up call to those in power. When public funds are siphoned off for personal gain, safety and quality are compromised. And when safety is compromised, innocent people get hurt.
Let’s not wait for a worse tragedy to happen before we demand proper accountability, transparency, and honest public service in our town.
Seafarer and Family Man
I'm Dexter— a seafarer by profession, a traveler by passion, and a homebody by choice.
