Isang Suhestiyon upang Mabawasan o Tuluyang Mawala ang mga Basura, at Kikita pa ang mga Mahihirap

Isang Suhestiyon Upang Mabawasan o Tuluyang Mawala
Ang mga Basura, at Kikita pa ang mga Mahihirap
Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Lubusang mabibigyan ng magandang kahulugan ang kasabihang “may pera sa basura”, kung bibilhin ng pamahalaan ang basura. Kapag magkaroon ng ganitong programa ang pamahalaan, siguradong wala nang makikitang maski plastic ng ice candy sa paligid dahil magkakanya-kanya ng ipon ang mga tao, lalo na ang mga bata.

Ito ang suggested na paraan:

1. Ang mga barangay ang bibili ng mga basura mula sa kanilang nasasakupan. Dapat ang basura ay maayos sa pagkabalot batay sa alituntunin na paghiwalay ng mga hindi nabubulok sa mga nabubulok. Ang mga mari-recycle tulad ng bakal, bote, at iba pa na binibili na ng mga junk shop ay hindi bibilhin upang may kita pa rin ang mga ito. Ang hindi maayos sa pagkakabalot ay hindi bibilhin.

2. Por kilo ang bilihan, halimbawa ay Php2.00 bawat kilo para sa nabubulok at Php3.00 kada kilo naman sa hindi nabubulok. Kasama sa mga bibilhin ay mga dahon, tuyong sanga na pinagputul-putol upang magkasya sa sisidlan. Hindi bibilhin ang mga basurang nangangamoy upang matuto ang mga tao sa pagdispatsa nito ng maayos tulad ng pagbabaon sa lupa, o paggamit bilang abuno ng tanim. Dapat ispreyhan ng barangay ang mga nabiling basura na maiimbak kahit nakabalot ang mga ito ng maayos upang mabawasan ang posibilidad ng pagkalat ng mikrobyo sa paligid ng imbakan.

3. Ang mga barangay ay dapat “pautangin” ng DSW ng revolving fund na dapat ding ibalik sa itatakdang panahon na nakasaad sa kontrata o Memorandum of Agreement, at ito ay isasailalim sa COA audit kaya sagutin ng barangay kung ito ay mawawaldas. Kasama sa Memorandum of Agreement ang munisipyo o city government bilang saksi. Kailangang tulungan ng munisipyo o city hall ang DSW sa pamamagitan ng regular na pag-check kung maayos na naipapatupad ang programa.

Sa laki ng pondong ibinibigay sa DSW, dapat may bahagi nitong nakalaan sa mga proyektong nakikita ang resulta o yong tinatawag na tangible. Marami ang nagdududa sa DSW kung ang pondo na binibigay dito ay nagagamit ng maayos sa kabila ng magandang layunin nitong makatulong sa mahihirap na pamilyang may mga batang pinag-aaral. Dapat lang na ma-involve ang ahensiyang ito dahil ang programa ay tungkol sa pagpapaunlad ng buhay ng mga taong mahirap. Ito na ang pagkakataon upang makapagpakita ng katapatan ang DSW sa pagpapatupad ng kanilang tungkulin.

Kung ang basura ay bibilhin, siguradong pag-aagawa na ito ng mga tao. Magkakanya-kanya na rin sila ng paglibot sa kanilang komunidad upang makaipon ng basura. Maliban sa kalinisan na layunin ng programa, sigurado na ring kikita ang mga mahihirap.

When Triviality is Taken for Granted

 When Triviality is Taken for Granted

 

By Apolinario Villalobos

 

 

Always, an anomaly is investigated only when it has already developed into a scandalous proportion, although, it could have been discovered while, for others, is yet in its trivial stage.  The adage that big things start from small is always forgotten, overshadowed by man’s innate yearning for what is impressive that is erroneously defined by massiveness. There is always an excuse to attend to more important and significant things, so what is thought to be trivial is neglected.

 

Specifically, the appalling misuse and abuse of the people’s money by the supposedly trusted, elected officials, would have been checked earlier if only the anomalous practice was investigated while small amounts yet, were involved. To think that there is a general admission that this practice has been going on for years in the guise of “SOP” or commission. Those concerned waited until, what was simply called before as “kickback” in small amounts, intended “for the boys” or those who have a knowledge of questionable  transactions to keep their mouth and eyes shut, evolved into enormous amounts that have shattered the image of those who claim to be of good repute.

 

After so many years that the perpetrators of the crime were emboldened by the laxity of the check and balance system of the government, the habit took root so deeply in their persona, polluting their sane reasoning, that they have the gull to swear even to God their innocence despite glaring evidences. This is what the investigating wise guys of the government get for taking their time in handling such “triviality”. Such horrendous attitude to be described as negligence on the job is not even enough. When the crime caught the attention of the media at last, the investigators face the cameras, exuding confidence declaring that the process is assured to be smooth, without hitches. But who are they kidding when nothing in the past could point to a satisfactory result for similar crime? Besides, what will happen when these Presidential appointees, some of whom are not yet even covered with official appointment drop everything as they leave their posts when the Chief Executive ends his term? Is there an assurance that those who will take over will be zealous enough to do their duty for the benefit of the exploited Filipinos?

 

On the issue of the proper raising up of children to become good citizens of the country, some raise their eyebrows when such “triviality” is taken up. For them, it is unthinkable to waste time in calling the attention of children who answer back at parents, develop the habit of dishonesty, prefer the company of drug addicted friends than staying at home to study their lessons, loiter in internet cafes to play electronic games, etc. These same eyebrow-raising people may not have thought that bad habits do not just fade away as the child grows. That as the child grow, so do his bad habits. This child, as with the rest will find themselves in the different sectors of the Philippine society later on. We cannot just be indifferent to what we see around us today – children involved in crimes normally committed by adults, taking lightly their being detained in DSW “homes” as penalty.  What do we expect then, if the children while in their developmental stage are not properly guided, their mind not imbued with the right values and attitudes? Can we still regard them as the hope of our nation?

 

Another “trivial” concern is about the considerable amount of food left on plates. Some people seem proud to show that they have left spoonfuls of rice and half bowls of viands when eating in public food outlets. The eye-brow raisers may say, “what is that to us? They do not spend our money, anyway”. But what should be considered in this instance is that everybody is affected. Such wastage results to a chain reaction that affect the prices of food commodities. And, the fact that some of our countrymen can hardly have even just plain rice for one meal a day, should be enough to bother our conscience. We should open our eyes to the scenes of scavengers picking morsels of “food” from garbage dumps. The feeling of being lucky and thankful that we are not in their situation should be enough to make  us think twice before going into the binge of wasting food.

 

There are other “trivialities”  that some of us think do not deserve our time and attention because they do not directly affect us. But as part of the society, we are obligated to be concerned, as their indirect immediate effect will be eventually felt by us because of the principle of chain reaction. We should never forget the adage that regrets always come at the end. Before it happens, we must act now!