Hong Kong Disneyland...

My mother and I have been here in Hong Kong since Wednesday afternoon (Rob arrived late Friday night), and we've all been having a wonderful time. The Disneyland park is wonderful (I had one rehearsal and video taping day when the park was empty of cast members and visitors, save for the cast members who were part of the Voices of Disney show, of which I am a part), not too huge just yet, so it's quite manageable to do in one day. I haven't been there during a capacity crowd day though. Quite a few things on the news on how the park hasn't been able to keep up when the park is filled to the brim. Oh, all that takes is practice, guys! Chill out, please!

Last night there was a party held at one of the beautiful Disney hotels... of course the party was great, the food even greater. The drive home though was what really impressed me more than anything that happened that evening. The roads... the tunnels... the bridges... just how impressive everything looked. Rob had to take out his digital camera and shoot video of the view in front of the car... of the drive upon a long and beautiful suspension bridge... under the tunnels... and on the smoothest freeway we've ever taken. My manager was joking, that he'd enter the road video at the Sundance Film Festival.

All kidding aside, my constant thought bubbles were appearing all over the place... some of them, thought out loud. I turned to my mother and asked, "Why can't they do this in the Philippines?" Her immediate and cutting remark: "That's because all the money that would have gone into projects like this go into the politicians' pockets until they're full." I then shot back, "I guess they keep making new pockets."

There are pillars constructed to support new roads... the funding runs out, and the pillars then turn into deteriorating eyesores. From the skyway on very rainy days (which by the way still isn't done, or probably will never get done), water pools atop these massive pillars... I wonder if modern engineering keeps the rain from damaging these things permanently.

There's also the case of the PIATCO Airport (NAIA Terminal 3). The building has been standing there for a few years, but has been standing unused. I don't know what the reasons are for its non-operation, and I won't pretend to know, but can't the powers-that-be make it so that the building gets utilized? It cost a bazillion dollars to build; let it earn some of that back by beginning operations. Rumor has it that finally it will begin operations soon. Thank goodness.

The point of all this is that as a country, the Philippines has so much potential. We are an intelligent, beautiful, resourceful people. Other countries in this same region are fast overtaking us as far as infrastructure and progress are concerned. After seeing Singapore, Malaysia and now Hong Kong, I know that it's within our abilities to create a positive change. I just don't understand why change (rather, progress) isn't taking place. Can someone please explain why that is?