A Whole New Look Into the Garbage Crisis
October 24, 2008 by lisa
Filed under environment
5. TAKE POSITIVE STEPS TO CONTROL OR REDUCE THE BAGUIO POPULATION.
By this, I do not mean that we should support that awful Reproductive Health Bill that Domogan is going “gaga” promoting all over the Cordilleras, the Arroyo lackey that he is (remember how he defended his receiving GMA’s gift of Php500,000 saying it was normal to receive such an amount?).
Knowing that almost half of the student population comes from the lowlands, studying in our many schools, then if we regulate the enrolment by means of regulating at least the building capacities of those overcrowded clusters that are poor excuses for campuses (and of course, for the safety of all the occupants therein), then maybe we can have less people littering in Baguio.
For the city does not benefit from their presence at all, only the school owners. These students use up our water, and air, and litter — and all without paying any taxes. Then they get pregnant, never leave the city, join the ranks of the unemployed, and we start paying for their children’s education at City High.
We can also put a stop to illegal vending altogether, instead of coddling them Muslims and lowlanders. If the illegal vendors and the squatters see no economic opportunities for them in Baguio, then they will leave for more lucrative places.
But if the politicians insist on keeping them here, despite the problems they cause the city, then we really should start looking for alternative leaders for 2010.
6. EDUCATE THE PEOPLE.
The city should go on a massive information campaign as to which are environmentally sound waste management practices. Baguio residents must be informed about their options.
Do some research people! And stop telling the barangays not to buy this or that when you yourselves are not educating them on what to do.
7. UNDERSTAND THAT THE GARBAGE IS NOT THE PROBLEM.
I know that this is hard to accept, but the garbage crisis is not the root of the problem.
The real problems are overpopulation, too much politicking, incompetent leadership, lack of imagination, greed on the part of the leaders, ignorance, laziness and apathy on the part of the residents, the coddling of squatters and illegal vendors, the unabated increase in enrollment by out of town students in our schools, and the creation of too many disposable items.
- “Quantity over Quality.” On top of all those disposable packaging items mentioned above, there’s also the lack of attention to quality in our finished products or in the retail products available in the city. For example, a cheap China-made umbrella is rendered unusable and disposable as soon as one strong gust of wind hits it and it falls apart. So we throw it away because it costs as much to replace it as to repair it.
- “Planned obsolescence.” Even plastic chairs that are easily scuffed and deformed are thrown away. And the list goes on for all these inferior products. And I am not even talking about those gadgets that are designed with “planned obsolescence” in mind (e.g. “your cellphone will self-destruct in ___ months”).
- “Kakuriputan.” Another problem is the attitude of people, preferring cheap over quality goods. All this attention to price is sometimes not practical, and this is where the residents’ famed ‘frugality’ fails.
- “Kayabangan at Luho.” Then there’s deplorable trait of folks wanting all the newest items that are in fashion, and then throwing away the old stuff simply because they are out-dated.
These are our real problems.
The garbage is just the evidence.
THE POLYANNA ATTITUDE.
Because I am a positive person in real life, I actually see an advantage to this garbage crisis. While it persists, the folks in city hall will have to deal with this most urgent problem instead of dreaming up which monuments to their bad taste and bad intentions they can erect on beautiful pieces of land like Burnham Park.
Another advantage, is that maybe the folks in the Summer Capital of the Philippines will wake up and smell the incompetence.
Hello 2010!
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Suggested reads:
Nick Ballesteros: Rubbish Collection New Zealand Style
Padma Perez: Palengkera, Dahon ng Sili and Plastic
Big Green Switch: Waste Reduction Category
Should you have any more suggestions on how to solve the garbage crisis, in our own little way (or even in many big ways) please feel free to post your comments below.
We just...
another masterpiece lisa. those folks up in city hall should be reading your blog. but then again, they won’t have any of it because they didn’t think of it in the first place. ayaw nila ma-credit ng ibang tao even if it is for the common good. they’re too arrogant to accept their limitations. they think they are the only ones who know the answers. kuno.
that numbering system in the drugstores is not even being followed. likewise with that smoke-belching ordinance. always encounter smoke-belchers when i go out.
yes, it seems the mayor is always out. something must be wrong here. makes me think if he is undergoing treatment or something else. whatever, i wish him well.
Oh Resty,
They are reading my blog. I know that for sure.
And they are free to debate the issues, or copy the suggestions here and take all the credit (like the curfew ordinance). I don’t mind at all!
And why am I blogging? Just so the city can be clean, safe, pretty and prosperous. It does not matter who takes the credit. I write hoping for positive results so I can enjoy my life, not sidestep the trash on the streets.
Hi Lisa,
I like the new new look of your webpage than the previous one…
I used to walk barefoot in front of the Kisad Hotel (formerly Kisad Pension House) and at the Burnham Park when I was a kid. Mom used to tell me, “Magtsinelas ka nga! Baka malamigan ka!” I don’t mind really….to me it is the true essence of Baguio…a cool, clean city to live in…and oh, i just love the pine scent.
Keep on blogging. .sure they are considering your ideas…but as you said, in acknowledging, there is a problem.
Hi Lalaine,
Those who adopt any ideas or suggestions from here do not need to acknowledge the source. Ideas are free, knowledge must be shared, and once published, one can call them “open source.” If you look at my old posts, one of them was so specific, included financial projections pa, that Chi of the Cool Clouds called it “spoon feeding.”
To me, all that mattered was that the previous one was implemented, almost feature for feature. That’s how I know they visit this site.
ps. Thanks, I like this one better, too, although the featured content gallery makes it load a little too slowly.
I was born,raised,grew and educated in Baguio. We lived
in Hillside near Camp John Hay. I remembered when I was young, there is an Incinerator Building of Camp John Hay AFB just as you exit the 3rd gate towards Scout Barrio.
With all the millions spent for hauling, why can’t Baguio build its own incinerator, where they can burn all those
garbage, set up a recycling infront of it where plastics
bottles ,glass containers and newspapers in different
bins as residents bring their garbage in. The city can
charge each homeowner a set fee for this convenience
and the recyclables can be processed accordingly.
Hiya Remy, and thanks for the information. I don’t think Camp John Hay does any incineration anymore. When we were running Halfway House after the US left, garbage collection went the Filipino way.
The mayor preferred to award Metro Waste 60M for hauling instead of providing a long-term solution to the problem, you see. Then the city’s ONLY solution is to negotiate for a site as landfill — that’s what the extra 30M is for. Then there’s 12M for more dump trucks.
And th-th-that’s all folks! There goes the 103 MILLION BUDGET!
Which is why the residents and ex-residents must step up and help the leaders, who seem paralyzed.
Hi Lisa,
Love the new look!
It will help alot when people segregate the bio and non-biodegradable stuff. It just takes a little bit of effort but it cuts down the amount of trash we generate.
As for the fast food, they can use recycled paper products and not have to use styro.
BYOB- Bring Your Own Bayong. This is to cut down the use of plastic bags. Buy a really cute big canvas bag/s which you can bring everywhere.
Take care,
tina
Hi Tina,
We were just talking about the BYOB. In the 90s I used to go to the Baguio Market with a bayong in each hand, and a salakot on my head (because I had no more hands to hold an umbrella) and my mom thought I looked funny. But that is the way to go!
i was soooo disappointed when we visited Baguio last Dec 2006, konti na lang ang mga puno, ang kalsada bako-bako, at ang basura nagkalat. you might want to check out the recycling program that San Francisco, Ca has implemented, we all bring our own re-usable bags, kaya ang uniform namin dito ngayon ay Trader Joe’s grocery bags, even men carry gorcery Tote bags. no more styrofoams, all restaurants must use containers made from natural sources, so its better to finish your food in the restaurant rather than bring it home kasi, nag sa soggy yong container kung hindi plastic, so i bring my own plastic container if i want to buy soup para siguradong, it will reach home. We ahve just recently implemented the law that drug stors like Walgreen and Riteaid can not sell cigarrettes, my life will really be complete if they pass the law banning people from smoking in public places
Welcome Lorena!
And thanks for those tips.
I am aghast at how so many residents just do not care about the city. Gone are so many folks who maintain beautiful houses and gardens. The Philippines, and especially the people currently iving in Baguio are simply too in love with cement!
Sometimes, I think that when the people who had houses in Baguio were mostly from Manila, the place was much better looking…
And this paradigm shift of the mayor away from tourism simply isn’t working for the environment. His family has a huge money-maker in terms of University of Baguio you see, and, judging from the way their school grounds look, they simply do not care for the city that has given them so much.
This, and the attitudes of most of the residents, is doing so much damage to the environment. It is an urgent matter that the whole country must get involved in because it seems that the city will fail in the long term if the downslide continues.
Lisa, those whose houses were constructed in the ’40’s and ’50’s and are well-maintained should be given a reward.
salamat, gusto ko ulit bumalik sa Baguio, when I was in my 20’s , we always visit the Crying Heart of Mary Chapel. I was lucky enough that my friends from Manulife held their annual meeting there and they invited me, we had a great time, we had a girls night out in one of the clubs, visited Mines view, bought a lot of native items and silver.
It takes leadership and Commitment to maintain cleanliness, dito sa SF, bawal ang manigarilyo sa loob ng bar and sinusunod naman ito ng mga club patrons
With all the problems Baguio is facing right now, maybe it will take a long time for the city to recover. Pero para po sa akin, maganda pa rin ang Baguio at mahal ko ito.
What saddens me is that i don’t live in the city and i cannot do anything to contribute even a little for its improvement.
Yes, like what you’ve told me in my previous comment, it was the same love like yours that inspires me to visit your blog and read your articles everyday.
I do agree with your conclusion that garbage is not the problem. The garbage crisis the city is experiencing may only be a symptom of a bigger condition dictated and aggravated upon by ineptitude, ignorance, lethargy and apathy which seem to have accumulated and multiplied at an exponential rate.
However, as you have said in order for us to keep away from a predictable cataclysmic scenario the main problem of overpopulation, too much politicking and incompetent leadership should ideally be addressed first rather than looking at the symptom and treating such independently. Well, reasonably it may take a while before such therapy would be induced but surely if change cannot be initiated everything has an end.
Nonetheless, as in the case at point, suggestions have well been said as to how the problem on garbage should be approached from education to reduction which is basic and is sheer common sense. However, some inimically insensitive and contumacious people rather decided to go into a spending spree of taxpayer’s money which is even ethically and morally wrong.
The last time I checked City Officials promised that even though our city’s savings is at risk of being depleted – because of stupidity and lack of common sense. Our beloved politicians won’t be passing the burden of additional taxes and fees unto us. Yeah right! It seems that some opportunistic and sadistic people do love to take advantage of others lack of concern and interest. What a pity.
Anyway, I still believe that doing our individual share and at the same time enthusiastically encouraging others to do the same would gradually set a tone for others to follow. Everything has been said on how to resolve such crisis. We just have to do our share. God bless.
Michael Karl C. Flores
Hi Mam Lisa,
Its almost a year since the declaration of Baguio City as a calamity area due to garbage mismanagement. Surely, our honoroble men and women at city hall researched, travelled locally and abroad, had seminars and spent millions of hard earned taxpayer’s money just to address this social malaise,having plans that up to now have never reached the “common tao” for intensified guidance and implementation regarding descipline in disposing their solid waste. Both the educated and the not so one’s are of the same gravity when it comes to failure of garbage segregation-a major cause brought about by this problem. This is not a general conclusion, but it seems that the true problem here is not the individual who fails to discipline himself, but the society that this individual lives in.
We elect leaders to act as guardians and transformers of society towards social and economic upheaval. It is they who have been chosen by the majority to solve whatever threat that befalls their constituents. They are the makers of society, creators and implementor’s of laws for society to be guided with.
As leaders they are mandated to formulate, enact and implement laws for the benefit of society, transforming chaos to order. Laws were made to enforce social order. RA 9003 is one good law that our leaders have created to lessen the problem on our country’s solid waste management Why couldn’t our city government properly implement such an act that could clearly solve this continuing problem on grabage? RA 9003 is not a new law (it was implemented in 2001) and non compliance may result to a catastophic event as foreseen by its makers due to the continuing increase in population.. Baguio havent benefitted from this law so far, it still awaits its full implementation, and the City Government is at a loss in pinpointing the proper way to implement this law to the fullest.
It’s been 2 years since our present set of leaders assumed office and a year from now expect same old faces shaking hands saying “long time no see” lines, knocking on your gates and distributing flyers with their angelic faces and sweet promises, imbuing within them new strategies of persuasion.
Elections is fast approaching, we need leaders that could eliminate the glitch in our garbage problem and lead Baguio back to its status as the cleanest and greenest city in the Philippines. Start learning how to segregate not only garbage, but segregate those who needs to be voted upon and those who needs to be considered as trash.
Hello everyone, hi mam lisa!!
I’m a student po of Saint Louis University and currently taking up my thesis. I propose po to study a “Material Recovery Facility” para po sa ating city. Our garbage disposal is growing everyday and the people of Baguio seems to have no ‘pakialam’. “yong research study ko po is a deeper understanding kung paano natin masosolve and ating garbage disposal.
‘Yong mga classmates ko po is also researching on Burnham Park, Mines View Park and other Parks dito sa ating city. We’re all trying to research on everything about Baguio para po sana will make everyone aware of what’s happening in our city.
I love everyones comment. I know you guys are one of those who really care deeply for our City. May I ask po help sa inyo. Is there anyone na kilala nyo who is an expert on Solid Waste Management? I would love to hear from you guys, here’s my email add: yoh_millatone@yahoo.com
Thanks a lot po sa mga comments nyo, my maisusulat ako sa thesis proposal ko, jeje!!!
Hello Marijun,
Your best resource for this information would be SEC or DTI (most likely SEC) and the regional office is headed by a nice lady, Atty. Annie Tesoro, with their offices at the Baguio Convention Center. The Securities and Exchange Commission of the Philippines has a list of corporations and their contact info, classified into different industries.
Good luck with your thesis.
Hi Ms. Lisa,
I was googling about the current garbage situation in Baguio when I chanced upon your blog. I’m planning to take my famuly to Baguio this Christmas, but not sure if it would be a good idea since I’ve been hearing about the garbage problem in the news. Can you do me a huge favor? Please advise if we’d still enjoy our stay despite the trash, or we’d only spend the whole time there covering our noses?
Thanks for your informative blog!
Jay
Hi Jay,
The crisis is over, because it was a political issue in the first place with the mayor preferring to enter into expensive hauling contracts instead of coming up with a permanent and effective solution.
Go ahead with your Christmas plans as Baguio is simply wonderful at this time of the year.
This is terrific news! We will definitely proceed on Dec. 16. Thanks for your quick reply and sound advice! More power to you, Ms. Lisa
You’re welcome Jay.
You see I want people to LOVE the city of my heart and it pains me to discuss the “dirty” side of things. But I would be remiss in my role as good citizen if I were to shut up and agree with the politicians’ greedy moves.
To enjoy Baguio better, please check out my recommendations at http://www.gobaguio.com