Lunes, 25/4/2016: Airport traffic declines, Concerts to donate goods to victims, Bus routes change, Poor construction

Hola, Todos – 

Pagina cultural – 

Fiesta solidaria (Celebration in solidarity) – the Alianza Francesa has decided to dedicate this year’s Fiesta de Música (Music Festival) on 17 & 18/7 to collecting funds for earthquake victims.

Articles about –

Donating childrens’ books – The recent disaster has changed some of the fiestas de Cuenca plans for this month.  Activities for the Día del Libro (Book Day) were changed from last Fri. to Fri, 6/5 with a day of reading at the Escuela Central (not even ex-escuela – we’re reverting here) starting at 9:00. Mayor Cabrera will start the reading, and after the event, books will be brought to the coast.  Students, teachers from the U of Cuenca, UDA & UPS will read, then donate those books to the coast rather than local libraries.  The universities here will work with the U. of Manta to bring a caravan with books and puppet theater.  Citizens are asked to take books to the “Antonio Lloret Bastidas” library in the ex Escuela Central. (OK, back to form.)

During the last week in April and 1st week in May, there will be childrens’ activities in the parques Miraflores, Curiquingue, Inclusivo, and de la Madre.

Art workshops – The city is continuing to offer free workshops for children, adults and seniors at various community and cultural centers.  The workshops include:

Alfabetización digital (Digital ABCs) – at 5 Centros Culturales
Ceramics – Centros Sauces y Tomebamba – started Monday.

Model houses from wood and recycled materials – Centro Cultural Eucaliptos – for adults – 15-18:00.

Guitar, painting and pirograbado (wood burning?) – Barrial Blanco – 1 month workshops, extendible based on demand.

Painting – CC el Alfarero – taught by a disabled artist who paints using his mouth – for children, 4 spaces left.

Mask exhibit – has been delayed from last Fri to 12/5 at 19:00 CC (Center Cultural). Chaguarchimana. It will show 25 masks from the Diablada del Pillaro. Each workshop has space for 15-20.  If interested, bring a copy of your cedula to register.  (I hope each of you is sufficiently familiar with you own neighborhood to know where your Centro Cultural is. If you don’t, maybe it’s time to leave your apt and do a little exploring.  When you register you can fill in the gaps in the information.)

Fundación Un Bueno Consejo (A Good Advice Foundation) – This foundation of 50 volunteers providing marital, family, pschological, addiction and legal counseling has a new location on Juan Pío Montúfar y la Américas in the Coralcentro sector. Its hours are from 8:30-12:30 and 15-19:00 M-F, and 9-13:00 on Sat.

Traditional and Contemporary Music Concert – The Cultural Unit of the U of Cuenca and the group De Raíz will play a concert on 28/4 at 20:00 in their facilities (av. Doce de Abril y Solano).  The concert is free, but attendees are asked to bring non-perishable foods, personal and household supplies to their parking lot.  (Think before you donate – someone brought a little christening tuxedo with tails and party dresses to the Casa de la Provincia.  Useful for a quake victim or not?)

Earthquake news  – 

Titular – A más de agua, aliento (More than water, encouragement/moral support) – Disabled people, affected by the earthquake need water, shelter and food, but the most urgently needed medicine is “una voz de aliento” (an encouraging voice) to bring calm in the middle of chaos.  Jamil Armijos, director of the Technical Secretariat for Inclusive Management of Disabilities said that 35-40% of the disabled population of 400,000 in Ecuador are concentrated in Manabí.  Many of these have lost their medicines, medical equipment and papers.  Armijos reports that there are teams visiting shelters and identifying people with a wide variety of disabilities and getting them appropriate attention, including relocating some to facilities capable of providing specialized services.  The team is providing food to priority groups including the disabled, children, seniors, pregnant, and those with impaired mobility.

The UN High Commission on Refugees expressed worry that no “invisible” groups be left behind in the distribution of humanitarian aid.  These groups include the disabled, elderly and families with many children. The UN is trying to identify these people.

Enterprise in the rubble – People in San José de Chamanga are salvaging what they can from the rubble and selling them at the “Comercial Lata,” (A lata is a tin can.) a bazaar in Chamanga.  The village previously depended on shrimp fishing.

Insurance – According to experts, people insure cars but not houses in Ecuador.  The loss of some 76,000 homes should be a lesson.  In the cases of the Mexican, Peruvian and Chilean earthquakes, reconstruction was easier due to insurance.  Most of the houses that are insured here, are insured because of requirements attached to the mortgage loan.

Sea sand – Houses that collapsed used sea sand in their construction.  The problem with construction is not so much the lack of codes, but the lack of compliance and control.  A preliminary estimate from the Cuerpo de Ingenieros del Ejército (Army Corp of Engineers) reported that 70% of the buildings in Pedernales were damaged. For reconstruction, good planning, compliance with codes, and enforcement by localities will be needed.

Otras cosas –

Proliferation of street dogs – Irresponsible ownership and abandoned pets are two causes of the proliferation of street dogs in Racar.  Neighbors say the problem has worsened with time, and urged actions such as finding shelters for these dogs. People at the Mutualista Azuay and other neighbors are are feeding and watering dogs and all agree that there is a lack of laws that regulate and punish mistreatment and abandonment of pets.

Address changes – you have from 1/7 to 31/8 change your voting address for the 19/2/2017 elections.  Go to an office of the Consejo Nacional Electoral (CNE) with a utility bill (water, electric, phone or TV) that confirms your address.

Road changes –

Ordóñez Lasso between Los Cerezos and La Higuerilla – Los Cerezos will be one way from Ordóñez Lasso to Del Tejar and Del Sauce will be one way from Del Tejar to Ordóñez Lasso. (Aren’t they already like that?)

Bus lines 7, 17 & 25 will change along av. de Las Américas and España due to the Tranvía.  Lane changes on the bridge over the Yanuncay started today.  The South-North lane of De Las Américas will change to two way as far as Isabel La Católica.  The intersection of España and Nuñez de Bonilla is closed.  If you’re going to El Centro take Sebastían de Benalcázar or Mariscal Lamar.  (Or just follow the car in front of you and hope he also is going to El Centro.)  Gran Colombia at Borrero and Hermano Miguel is still closed to install Tranvía track.

Airport traffic down – The number of passengers is down.  Only LAN and TAME are currently flying out of Mariscal La Mar. TAME’s Cuenca-Quito-NY flight was changed to Cuenca-Guayaquil-NY and many passengers are opting to take the $12 van ride to Guayaquil.   ($6 for seniors, but I’ve had to argue to get that fare.  So it’s basically $6 for Spanish speaking seniors.)

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne