War on Pollution
The only news that have been reaching the people these days is about the hard-line stands against the criminal and incessant war on drugs. So much for that, the public tend to overlook the things we should attend to, focus on, and talk about: the war on pollution.
Economic growth and growing population have caused tremendous impact especially in Legazpi City in Albay. More specifically, the increased of economic activities that resulted in escalating generation of wastes and the deterioration of some areas. One example of economic activities is the business structures that is continually increasing in concurrent of the progress of the city.
To simply put it, it is the environment that bears the brunt of the ill-effects of economic growth and increasing population, making the city government have the recently-implemented Septage Management Program as an immediate action on saving our surroundings from becoming polluted and eventually, the cause of many diseases.
It will do well in our city that the municipal board of Legazpi enacted an ordinance that would help the ecological waste management. It can promote the health and safety of the people that is the number one need of every individual.
We should all be thinking of much more than the usual issue of the government. We all need to be reminded that there is much more in the country hanging in the balance or being uncertain of the fact, that there are lot of things can affect the country especially the environment.
I was personally happy to learn in a seminar on August 31 about the enactment of ordinance that was idealized in 2015. The ordinance requires the owners of existing public and private buildings and structures such as malls, restaurants, and hotels to build their own septic tanks. It also includes residential buildings, subdivisions, hospitals and other industrial and commercial buildings. The move is in connection with the implementation of Section 5 Article 2 of the 1987 Constitution, which provides that the “State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill consciousness among them.”
It is a big help in our city because it will harness our environment in maintaining the water clean even in the near future. We all know that human waste is an enormous threat, it can make us sick and make the water contaminated. If it is dirty then it will be toxic to our basic need. We need it to survive and the lack of adequate disposal sites is indeed a recipe for disaster, which if unchecked, will pose immediate threats to the people’s lives and well-being.
It could be a success if we started realizing the ordinance as soon as possible but it is a bit financially difficult because it is an additional expense in the pocket. All household and establishments whether or not owned a septic tank will pay. Household or residential buildings will pay 100 pesos monthly and 5 000 thousand pesos annually, for establishments whether commercial or industrial will pay 250 pesos monthly and 12 000 pesos annually as the ordinance is mandated all over the city.
Having an ordinance that will promote healthy environment is wonderful. It is in our hand if we are going to start helping our place in becoming more healthy, safer, and homey. It is for our own good. Time is running and the new generations will be the one who will benefit if we take care of our environment.
I hope every individual in the city will look beyond the flaws of the new ordinance and expand our concern toward the things that also need attention l. It will surely help many people in the community. In the end, isn't that what we want?
