Just weeks after typhoon Ondoy visited the country, many of the Metro Manila folks are back to their old habit, which is the blatant disregard of the proper disposal of garbage. Citizens of Metro Manila are back at placing their garbage anywhere. A good example is the whole length of Commonwealth Avenue. People living around this thoroughfare, as well as the illegal street vendors, continue heaping their garbage on the avenue. Heaps of garbage can be found at Litex Area, around Manggahan Area (infront of Commonwealth High School), and Luzon Area (near the Tandang Sora flyover). The situation is could also be found in many parts of Metro Manila and it is not farfetched to say that the people of Metro Manila still learned the lesson brought by Ondoy.
The continued improper disposal of garbage is just one of the many instances that show that the tragedy brought about by Ondoy will be repeated. The unwanted habit shows that we are not yet ready to give up the old ways and develop new ones that will enable us to be safe from future calamities. In normal times, the Filipino forgets the Bayanihan spirit and reverts back to the “Kanya kanya” mentality of factionalism and selfishness.
A Change of Lifestyle
The tragedy brought about by Ondoy was aggravated by current lifestyle of the Filipino people. Our society espouses a wasteful system in the name of mass consumption and profit. The garbage returned to us by the flood only reminds us how wasteful our society is. Our society does not promote environmentally friendly lifestyle, but promotes a system that produces garbage at rate that will fill our landfills in short span of time.
The media, the government, and the private sector should join forces in changing the Filipino mindset. We Filipinos should realize that it is our fault that tragedies like Ondoy happen in our country. Because of our apathy, we neglect our environment and elect people that inefficient in protecting the public from calamity.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Ondoy fulfilled our saying: “Basura mo babalik sa iyo” (Your trash will return to you). The flood dumped our garbage back to our communities. It as if Mother Nature is telling us to that she already had enough of our trash.
Because of this, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the local government units are hard pressed in removing all the garbage in communities and commercial areas. In few weeks time, MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando and his crew will be done in making our homes garbage free. However, the question is what will happen if another Ondoy visit us and return our trash to us again? Is removing garbage from our homes enough to avert this tragedy? The answer is a resounding “NO!”
Now is the time to consider that we have limited space that could be used as landfills for our garbage. Metro Manilans should think that the people in the provinces hate accepting their waste. Now is the time to start practicing the mantra of “Reduce, reuse, and recycle.” To minimize the amount of garbage in the Metro, we should REDUCE that garbage being produced in our homes and offices. This entails a change in lifestyle that fosters “waste-less” living. We should also REUSE things that are could still be used instead of sending them to the trash. Unwanted books can be donated to public schools, old clothes could be sent to orphanages, etc. We should also RECYCLE our trash that could not be reused. Thus, instead of sending paper, bottles, and plastics to the landfill, it is much better to recycle those things into other useful things.
An Efficient and Accountable Government
Another lesson left to us by Ondoy is for us to demand a government that is efficient to answer our needs. The performance of NDCC shows us that the government is neglecting the safety of the public. Now is the time for us to demand the things that are due to us.
What we need is a government that is always ready in time of calamities. Ondoy is telling us that we should demand more things from present administration and the members of the Senate and Congress. We are paying taxes, yet they do not have the funds in times of great need.
Expect the Unexpected, Prepare for the Worst
Typhoon Ondoy became deadly because many people were unprepared during his onslaught. Ondoy is teaching us to be always ready for the possible calamities that will strike us. Thus, we should prepare ourselves for the worst things that can happen. We should prepare ourselves from flooding, earthquakes, and typhoons. We should always have a kit that contains medicine, canned food, flashlights, transistor radio and other important things.
Truthfully, Ondoy is pale in comparison to other calamities that may have strike us during that time. What if an earthquake occurred instead of Ondoy? That is a possibility that will cause greater damage than a typhoon. Thus, we should always prepare for calamities. Let us stop thinking that the government or other people will be there to save us.
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