City Musings / Paranaque
City Musings
Too many times, we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of this world, and we fail to recognize the blessings that are all around us. This is especially true when you are working, as I have been for the past eight years of my life. There is nothing better than just going home after a hard day’s work. However, in the homegoing, I sometimes fail to recognize the inherent blessing of living in the place that I live. Not everyone can say the same thing.
I’ve lived in the same place for over thirty years. I am no stranger to the city of Parañaque, and have been to many different places within it. There are places that have been influenced by the fast-paced lifestyle that comes with being a city. There are other places which seem to keep its sense of peace and sanity safe. These places struggle with maintaining their identity, and they are a dying breed in the continuous development of the city.
Am I anti-development? Of course not. The city has leapt tremendous strides since the 90s, when it was officially recognized as a city. Our present mayor, Jun Bernabe, has developed and beautified the city in a way that has never been done in the past. I feel a sense of pride in being a citizen of Parañaque. The city government continues its projects even as the national elections draw closer.
However, I relish those places within the city where I can take a deep breath and relax. In the subdivision that I live in (and have done so all my life), I am still able to go jogging in the evenings and be assured, more or less, that I will be safe. I can still go out and take my dogs for a walk without much fear. Children can still go outside and play with their friends. Ours is a relatively quiet subdivision.
Sadly, these types of places in the city are no longer numerous. Over the vast majority of the city, there are people who succumb to the high-speed lifestyle. Our city has numerous industries, like call centers, in its midst. Because we have such a fast-paced life (and I am one of these yuppies), there is often no time to take it all in, and in many instances there is no place either. There are few places which shield you from the crowd, places which are peaceful, and which you can be assured of safety and security.
I wish to go back to that time – a time where we could find numerous places in the city to relax. While that is impossible, we can still look forward to a better future. Parañaque is still in a mode of development. When this all ends, I hope the city will not only be more modernized, but that it will be the safest city in the country.
