Okay, so I’ve been known to whine over the years. Just a tad, mind you. On occasion, I complain. Then again, it only happens once in a blue moon. As for ranting — let’s put it this way: I don’t even know what the word means.
But who am I kidding? Everybody knows I have a bachelor’s degree in whining, a master’s in complaining and a doctorate in ranting. I like to point out the small things many people overlook because they’re buried up to their necks in “issues that matter.”
So, I write about being extra careful not to step on fecal matter of unknown origin on the sidewalk. Or witnessing an old woman nonchalantly relieve herself by the side of the road. Or nearly running into a hobo pleasuring himself in the middle of a busy intersection. You might think I’m making this up. Trust me, that is where the axiom “truth is stranger than fiction” holds true.
As you well know, I also like to write about the city’s garbage situation. In fact, I’ve been writing about it since before the tragic trash slide in Barangay Binaliw occurred last Jan. 8, 2026. I’m well aware of what has transpired since. I don’t mean to be an alarmist, but we are on the brink of “trashmageddon.” If the Cebu City Government cannot find a viable solution soon, residents better start investing in vats of perfume or cologne to mask the stench that will be wafting through the air in the months ahead.
Let’s put it this way: we shouldn’t be dumping our garbage in other towns — especially those more than 60 kilometers away. First of all, why should they have to suffer the stink we generate? Why can’t we establish a facility in one of the many remote mountain barangays of Cebu City? Somewhere with a small enough population that the discomfort is minimized. If Binaliw could say yes, why not Agsungot or Cambinocot? Of course, this suggestion wouldn’t sit well with the residents there. I understand that.
Trust me, I raise a riot whenever callous residents of Sambag 1 use the front of our property as a garbage drop. Apparently, they can’t live with their own stink, so they throw their rotting trash in front of someone else’s gate in the middle of the night. This has happened several times in the nine years since I moved into the neighborhood.
It happened again last Friday, Feb. 20. I was in Davao when I received a message from a relative who was worried that a pile of garbage had “miraculously” appeared in front of our gate just as he was heading out for his OJT. I told him I would message the barangay’s Facebook page to report it.
Because I am well aware of the current garbage predicament, I was in “maximum tolerance” mode. My message was short and to the point, minus my usual histrionics. When I arrived last Sunday and saw the pile was still there, I chose to rise to the occasion and ignore the throbbing at the side of my head. Even so, there was a limit to my unnatural state of magnanimity. I knew the sh-t would hit the fan if it was still there by morning.
I woke up at noon. When I left for the office later that day, the garbage had vanished. Lo and behold, it had been picked up — whether by the City or the barangay, the pile was gone. So what if the detritus left behind was attracting a gazillion flies? I’m not whining. I’m certainly not complaining. And heck if I’m ranting.
In fact, I’d like to use this opportunity to thank whoever was responsible for the pickup. The fact that it took three days — just long enough to leave that unmistakable pungent aroma of decay on the clothes drying in our family compound — is beside the point. I am but a tax-paying voter expressing gratitude for the not-so-swift action, but action nonetheless.
I know, I cannot have my cake and eat it too. But kidding aside, I sincerely thank the City and the barangay for addressing the matter. I understand the City can only do so much considering the abrupt loss of its primary dumping ground.
It’s not like addressing illegal parking or sidewalk obstructions — those might actually be easier. But again, the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) chooses to look the other way. I suggest they should drop the pretense of enforcing the law fairly. Let’s call a spade a spade, shall we? We all know different rules apply to different people.
Remember the government vehicle assigned to the transportation office that was seen along F. Sotto Drive carpooling students to and from school on a daily basis? The head of the CCTO expressed shock upon hearing the information. She said she would investigate the matter. She also appealed to the public not to immediately judge the person responsible.
What did I say?