GARBAGE is an unwanted material. It is also one of the reasons for global warming and causes flood in our community.
One other effect is on the health of the people, especially the children.
In school we are taught to segregate wastes, bio-degradable here, non-biodegradable there. That should be easy, but it's not done.
In the streets, we see garbage bins that are overflowing with different types of wastes. The local government bought these garbage bins for proper waste segregation, but the people just didn't do as instructed.
Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Wastes Act of 2000 Section 10 on the Role of LGUs in Solid Waste Management states, "Pursuant to the relevant provisions of R.A. No. 7160, the LGUs shall be primarily responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the provisions of this Act within their respective jurisdictions.
"Segregation and collection of solid waste shall be conducted at the barangay level specifically for biodegradable, compostable and reusable wastes: Provided that the collection of non-recyclable materials and special wastes shall be the responsibility of the municipality or city."
Fe C. Llevado, barangay councilor of Barangay 38-D, can only complain in frustration.
"For almost seven years of service as a barangay councilor this problem remains; in every barangay here in our city and not just where I live," she says.
The failure that is waste segregation just shows how inutile a government will be is people will not cooperate.
The City Government’s guide to where and how to dispose and when to collect has been circulated. For biodegradable, it is collected every Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. While, for non-biodegradable the said collection is on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Yet, this simple instruction will not be effective if residents will still not follow the improper segregation of wastes and if the collection schedule will not be regularly done.
We clearly have a problem that requires a collective solution.
Parents and teachers in school are the best motivators and models, aside from the local leaders, to start the proper segregation. We can always start small.
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Sunday Essays are articles submitted by Masscom students of the Ateneo de Davao University for their advanced journalism class. (Mary Rose C. Llevado)