IN ADDRESSING various sorts of hazards e.g. flood, fires, waste, waste water, pestering the citizens of the city of Bacolod, instead of leaving it all to the technical experts.
They may have all the technical training in infrastructures, drainage system, waste management, pollution control, among others, but the hazards caused by climate change and human stupidity and stubbornness require deeper and sharper understanding of society, politics, economics and culture.
Common folk like vendors, fishers, drivers, street kids, odd jobbers, slum dwellers, youth, and even the NGOs and POs, most often understand better the concerns and needs of the environment they live because they see it and distinguishes its aspects from simple logic of hard struggles and convenient life, need and want, survival and sufficiency, good and bad, night and day.
They are usually the first to see defects of civil works and public services; but their powerlessness forced them to be silent, deaf and blind to the many facets of bureaucratic ills and politicians’ expediency.
The so called educated and talented among them resort to social media to air their sentiments and grievances. Still they don’t create impact and change because most of them are disconnected not by technology but by heart and soul, and therefore could not see the link between information-knowledge and collective power.
We could not also leave totally the issues and concerns to politicians alone because most often their actions and plans are dictated by their vested interest aka papogi, pagcute and what have they; long term solution to problems are relegated to secondary thing.
However, there are many in the government especially in the LGUs who are well intentioned and passionate about reforms and change, if only pushed and guided well.
The Local Government Code likewise provides mechanisms which encourage and promote participatory governance in all aspect of governance and development programs.
Despite all the limitations, and the presence of rouge local chief executives and politicians, and their personnel and galamay corrupting and prostituting governance and service delivery systems, participatory governance is inescapable, and must be pushed and pursued creatively by good bureaucrats and the organized citizens.
Today’s impact of climate change is so serious that all the necessary adaption, solution and mitigation must be addressed by all citizens in the framework of participatory governance.
Local development councils must be expanded to include all stakeholders, and be made effectively functional; so the same for other local special bodies and barangay-based institutions and social movements.
Only when all of this truly and effectively works can the recurring hazards be addressed and eventually solved.
I agree, blaming and bashing don’t help much; they only fire up ego and anger, and bolster the opportunist vultures waiting for occasions to hit on their opponents.
It’s time for more cooperation and coordination, fellowship and solidarity for common goals despite our differences and diversities.
Those who refused collective actions have no place in this society.