This is a re-posted editorial/opinion piece.
Filipinos take pride in the sunset over Manila Bay. But the sight is magnificent only if you look at the horizon and do not see the water lapping against the shore, because then the breathtaking view will be ruined by the sight of garbage along the shoreline.
Whether it’s summer or the height of the typhoon season, garbage washes up along the shores of Manila Bay. Last week five truckloads of garbage were collected by employees of the Bureau of Immigration in a cleanup activity that was part of events to celebrate the 71st anniversary of the agency next month. Environmental protection may have little do with immigration, but any effort to clean up the bay is laudable.
Even more laudable is a sustained cleanup. In many countries, bay areas are developed as tourist spots, and real estate properties overlooking the bay are among the most expensive. Property owners in these countries see themselves as stakeholders in keeping their surroundings clean. They don’t foul up their own backyard and they often assist in maintaining a clean environment. Bay areas in these countries are popular gathering places and tourist destinations.
Doing this for Manila Bay may be too much to ask when garbage piles are enormous throughout Metro Manila and the other areas that hug the bay. Blame is often heaped on people too poor to afford sanitation facilities in their own homes. But the blame must also be shared by those who simply have filthy habits and do not care where they toss their garbage, as long as it’s not in their own backyard.
These problems are not insurmountable. Local executives can work with communities to get them involved in cleaning up their surroundings. Working at the grassroots level has been effective in several spots in the country that are now thriving as tourism destinations. In Metro Manila, the private sector can be enlisted to assist in sustained efforts to keep Manila Bay clean. This has worked for the Pasig River, and it can work for Manila Bay. People long used to a filthy environment appreciate it when they find themselves living in clean surroundings. As stakeholders, they can help guarantee that the cleanup of Manila Bay will be sustained.
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Source: The Philippine Star, Aug. 16, 2011
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