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Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Trash Talk
By Xavier DevCom Journalism Major students
IT'S Christmas once again. That time of year boasting of sales and discounts, promos and raffle draws. That same time when our foolish, materialistic minds fall into the trap set by clever capitalists who make sure we spend every last centavo of our year's worth of savings. And so we indulge. We splurge so generously until our pockets turn inside out.
Ah, but Christmas is not all about spending. There are those among us who find the Yuletide an occasion, not just for celebration, but also for crafting and earning--Mother Nature's way.
Filthy and Rich
There is no denying that garbage is something we have in abundance. We have them on the sidewalks, we have them on the streets, we have them in our neighbor's backyard (NIMBY!) and we have them polluting our seas. We have them everywhere, in fact, that it isn't really a miracle if people started walking on water.
But think of all these trash, the Christmas season and the potential cash we could make.
Take the lead of Mr. Anghel Agbalog, a resident of Camaman-an, who earns up to 300 pesos a day just from selling Christmas lanterns out of scrap materials. From these used straws, used boxes, foils, water cellophane and used gift wrappers, Mr. Agbalog makes wonderful parols he markets at P20 to P50 depending on the size and style, definitely bucks cheaper from those sold commercially.
Making brightly painted flowers glued around a hoop lined with gleaming Christmas lights is the business of another man with a brilliantly resourceful mind. Mr. Eddie Baguio, a medical attendant at one of the city's private hospitals, utilizes intravenous plastic containers and x-ray films to make his electronic parol. Spending only P120 for additional materials, he sells his produce at P300 each, making him P180 richer. This is his way of coping with the increasing needs of his family, which his salary alone cannot provide. His woman counterpart is Mrs. Nelda Acampo who finds meaning in rummaging the streets for plastics and other recyclable materials. She creates home decorations out of these presumed garbage and extends her knowledge to her neighbors at Upper Village, Camaman-an. Her creations had been sold at a party in one of our local radio stations and her window curtains had been used as skirts by the City High School students in a dance competition.
Hidden in one of the slum areas in Bonbon is a livelihood club of women and children committed to making Christmas lanterns and decors from reusable materials. The Clinica-an Supports Health Through Routine Utilization of Solid Waste Management Project (more aptly known as CASH THRU SWAMP) is applying health education programs via recycling.
Through this project between Dr. Velle Tabique and the City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office, the community was able to establish an effective solid waste disposal. Each household maintained segregation boxes for biodegradable and non-biodegradable materials. What was once a zone infamous for the amount of garbage accumulated especially in the coastal area is now a model community for proper solid waste management. What's more is that the members are earning from their produce, which are being sold to medical representatives, hospital employees and the clients of Dr. Tabique.
Beautiful Garbage
Who would want to see garbage lying around their house? Well, a lot of people. And they just don't want them lying around, they want them all over the place.
Mr. Leo Uwayan of Barra, Macabalan is one of our underprivileged brothers. His brother-in-law collects garbage for a living. From the garbage collected, he gets the materials needed for his parol--used plastic cups, scraps of wood and water cellophane he buys at P10. He has made recycling a hobby and adorns his house with simple, yet very original decorations. Everytime he looks at his parols, he is filled with the spirit of Christmas and that wonderful sensation of accomplishment overcomes him.
The same holds true for Mr. Mark Inesin, a utility clerk in a private insurance firm. As his way of commemorating Jesus' birth, he fashions their office Belen out of old print outs, a soft broom and some old decorations from the previous years. A touch of his creative hands makes the representation of that humble manger just like brand new.
Christmas wreaths made from cornhusks and stacks of newspapers are the contribution of Barangay 10's Women's Organization. Through the non-formal education project called the Alternative Learning Center conducted by the Department of Education, the women are able to generate cornhusks from vendors of steamed corn in the city and old newspapers from their own houses to assemble nifty wreaths.
The young ones, too, have their own ways of showing their value for recycling this Christmas. Anna Karina, a junior college student, is turning to paper mache as presents to give to her friends and loved ones. With her artistic inclination, she molds bits and pieces of newspapers into different shapes and figures, dries them up, and then paints them. She is only limited by her imagination, which is, as a matter of fact, limitless.
Albeit still kids, grade school students from Xavier University and Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori School are already practicing recycling. Guided by their teachers, these graders are learning the values of humility, resourcefulness and industriousness from making holiday decorations out of reusable and recyclable materials. And what's even better is the great fun they have while doing the activity.
God indeed created beauty even in things we least expect to find them. All it takes is a little ingenuity and the two to three kilos of garbage we generate daily.
* * * * *
It's Christmas once again. That time of year when we open are mostly shut up hearts and reach out to the destitute. That same time when we should also be offering all the things money can't buy.
Never mind if Santa visits us with a bagful of presents or the most modest of gifts, let us instead be thankful that a Savior was sent forth to absolve us of our sins. And that is the story behind every Christmas décor hung on our walls and around our Christmas tree.
Merry Christmas everyone, and do greet the Lord a Happy Birthday. He deserves at least that.
(December 27, 2005 issue)
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