Mother Nature's Answer

The recent flooding of Metro Manila and nearby provinces proved that Mother Nature indeed is unstoppable. It continues to remind us of what power it has to submerge continents, how it could easily wipe out the human race with heavy rains, earthquakes and gigantic tsunamis in minutes. Do we have to blame Typhoon Ondoy, Mother Nature's wake up emissary, for such a catastrophe? World wide, similar incidents such as what has happened, occur everyday. Yet us humans continue to ignore such a calling. We tend to bypass the message brought about by Mother Nature's wrath. Mother Nature is just part of this disaster, and we humans have contributed more. Look into the cause and effects of global warming, and adapt the ways of how we could slow it down. We have to do it now, before mother nature gives us more answers.

Baguio's Garbage Problem , A Year After

Its been more than a year since Baguio City was declared a calamity area due to garbage mismanagement. And its been more than a year since the city government of Baguio had not been over the situation. Baguio is a resort city, a tourist destination, and if this problems on garbage continues to surmount, Baguio might lose its prestige of being the country's summer capital, bad news for Baguio's economy.

The Irisan dump site had always been the scapegoat of our local government. They blame those people who continue to barricade the dump site, prohibiting city owned garbage trucks filled with unsegregated waste enter the dump site. Baguio spent more than 200,000,000 in taxpayers money for more than a year, just to treat the garbage problem , temporarily.

Why can't the city government of Baguio, alongside it's honorable men and women, come up with a master plan of a long term solution to end this impending threat of dislodging Baguio as a prime tourist destination.

Baguio City has 128 barangays under its territory. Each barangay has , 1 Barangay Captain, 1 SK Chairman at least 7 SK Kagawads and at least 7 kagawads, a secretary and a treasurer. They are among the many government men and women mandated by law given honorariums coming from the pockets of taxpayers. These numbers multiplied by the number of barangays in the city equals an armada of government accountable personnel in charge of securing the welfare of their constituents, that includes the problem on garbage of course. The city government in addition to solving the crisis on garbage created 18 Cluster Cooperatives composed of barangays that would help battle this problem. What have they done so far?

The Baguio populace had been the main contributory why garbage tantamount ed into such a catastrophic event that had made Baguio so popular as a garbage city. Lack of discipline among those who reside in Baguio's 128 barangays have well been observed. This results are due to the lack of information dissemination and poor campaign on waste segregation which the city government alongside its 128 baragays should spear head.

Taking into consideration the laxity of those who should enforce the law.

What have the local police force done with regards the implementation of R.A. 9003. Have they ever caught people who violated the law?

Has anybody suffered the consequence of going against this law and is now serving time in jail? Are there any?

What the city government of Baguio should consider is a long term master plan that would put an end or at least get hold of the situation and prevent another calamity that would continue to taint Baguio's image as the prime summer destination of the country. They should try looking into establishing a recycling plant. Open the Irisan dump site and convert it into a functioning recycling plant wherein segregated garbage could be turned into something economic that would benefit the city, ridding the city of this stinking problem, creating jobs, and marketing or re-using of garbage by products beneficial to society .

Instead of creating 18 clusters of cooperative, why can't the city instead create a Baguio Solid Waste Management Cooperative that would cater to solving Baguio's garbage problem. Make every household be a member. Through this, information dissemination and guidelines would easily reach and be understood by every household.

Spending an average of P 20,000,000 a month, and with scapegoats such as the closure of the Irisan dumpsite, isn't doing good for Baguio's image. The city government must act fast, ber months are here again, and this is Baguio's peak season. If they continue to fail and try getting over the situation, they might as well prepare making a giant stinking Christmas tree made of garbage, and let it stand in front of the city hall. Let all those who enter be reminded that Baguio lost its prestige as a 5 star city because of garbage.