(Waste Management) Basura by Howie Severino

Philippines is a beautiful country with lots of resources and minerals but despite of being
beautiful there’s behind issues and problems needed to resolve. One of the problems here in
Philippines are the mismanagement of garbage and waste. According to Calica (2009),
thePhilippines has one of the highest amount of solid waste generated in the world yet, still has
nosustainable and effective waste disposal facility. In the documentary film, the target of it is
thedumpsites here in the Philippines. A 600 dump trucks from different communities goes to San
Mateo to dispose their garbage. The day after the disposal, there’s a landfill which c
overs all thewaste and garbage. Sanitary landfills helps to disposed solid wastes where solid
wastes are
cover by compacted soil and beneath has liner which blocked the harmful substances such as toxi
ns,chemicals, etc. but this landfills said not to be perfect for disposing solid wastes. The
bottomlayer may break and the harmful substances may leak to water pipelines that goes to
thecommunity. People, where the dump site are placed, are in opposition against the dump
site because it is located near residential areas and the economy was drop due to the trucks pass
by sono investors want to put their business in place where dump site is. There is dump site inA
ntipolo where dump trucks goes after the San Mateo close due to public demand.
Antipolo’sresidence don’t want other community to dispose their garbage in Antipolo’s
dumpsite. Peoplecreates a slogan which is NIMB “Not in my backyard” that means don’t disp
ose in my own place. On the other hand,
there’s a barangay who has
their own ways to dispose solid wastes.After they segregate the biodegradable and non-
biodegradable materials, they do the old waywhich is composting. Composting is a biological
activity which disposed the biodegradablematerials with the help of micro-organisms to become
fertilizer to land. The way of disposingsolid wastes are very useful in their barangay because
while they lessen the garbage and wastes,they sell the fertilizers to market which they
make money.In my opinion, the real problem of our country is our discipline and the
mismanagementof disposing solid wastes. We should start practicing to dispose wastes and
garbage in our ownhouse because what you learn in your house reflects outside. If we could be
responsible for whatwe throw and what we do, we could lessen the problems in our community
and to our country.As a student and a concern citizen, I should know which is still usable and
non-usable that needsto dispose. I create a proper segregation of waste such as biodegradable,
non-biodegradable, andglass/plastic bottles in my own house. If I could have a chance to talk
with my barangaychairman, I will propose a facility in charge for disposing solid wastes so the
problem would
eliminate and we could focus on other barangay’s problem. Community should get a good leader
that gives proper order and proper managing the people. Corrupt officials should be impeach
sothe budget for the problem will distribute properly. If all people unite to fight the
garbage problem, we could have a better future and enjoy our beautiful surroundings.

RA 9003 describes solid waste management as a discipline associated withthe control of

generation, storage, collection, transfer and transport, processing, anddisposal of solid wastes.
How these activities are conducted shall be in accordancewith the best principles of public
health, economics, engineering, conservation,aesthetics, other environmental considerations, and
public attitudes. The act providesfor a comprehensive ecological solid waste management
program by creating thenecessary institutional mechanisms and incentives, appropriating funds,
declaringcertain acts prohibited, and providing penalties. This act provides the legal
framework for the country’s systematic, comprehensive and ecological solid waste
management program that shall ensure protection of public health and theenvironment. It
underscores, among other things, the need to create the necessaryinstitutional mechanisms and
incentives, as well as imposes penalties for acts inviolation of any of its provisions.The
government did a solid job on this act by creating a regulatory board andletting the local
government handle this since they will be able to keep a better eyeout on the implementation of
this. There are also sufficient penalties for certainviolations which I think is reasonable enough.
What is amazing is the incentivescheme that they made in accordance with the compliance to
this act. I mean whatis more motivating than a reward system right? And we Filipinos love
gettingrewarded for our efforts, so this incentive scheme is really good to motivate more people
to comply with this act. I wish they could have done the same with the CleanWater Act.