November 12, 2007
Dear Citizens of Bacolod,
We, the Bacolod Anti BAHA Alliance (BAHA), a non-political citizen’s group, urged by the increasing threat to our lives, health and property, brought about by the worsening flooding in the City of Bacolod, are inviting you to join the alliance. We have come together to impel our city officials and national government to once and for all utilize all resources and laws at their disposal to solve the flooding problem in Bacolod City.
As a apolitical citizen’s movement, we shall pursue our mission in the spirit of:
Solidarity
Openness and dialogue
Commitment and perseverance
Seriousness of purpose
Respectfulness of our differences
It is our objective to indertake any and all necessary and appropriate action to move Bacolod City Officials and National Agencies to STOP THE FLOODING IN BACOLOD CITY NOW!
We hope you will join us and act now by endorsing and signing the BAHA manifesto.
Thank you.
Jean Trebol
Agnes Jalandoni
Convenors
MANIFESTO
We, the Bacolod Anti-BAHA Alliance (BAHA), hereby manifest that:
We have patiently borne and carried through the years the havoc wrought upon our lives by the flooding in the city, where even the shortest heavy rains or the rising of the tide results in the inundation of entire sections of the city: stalling vehicles, destroying homes and dwellings, dislocating families, destroying properties, spreading disease and filth: in short… endangering our very lives.
We have, as good citizens, patiently sought audience with and implored our pertinent government officials and agencies to seek expeditious solutions to the flooding problem, and offered our assistance.
We have seen the slow and painstaking process by which government has responded to our plight, our pleas and call for action.
We have waited for reports and responses from our government and public officials, listened to their explanations, attended their meetings, and monitored what they were doing.
The waiting has been long, far too long… and we have therefore come to the following conclusions:
FIRST, while heavy rains are part of the natural order of things, our severe flooding problem is the result of our government’s longstanding inaction and negligence to implement a comprehensive flood control program with provisions for sufficient drainage systems, clearing our waterways of illegal structures by relocating dwellings built thereon, periodic dredging of known choke points, and serious enforcement of environmental and solid waste management laws.
SECOND, there appears to be a culture of passing the buck and blame-shifting between our local government officials and the national agencies, such that nothing of significance has been accomplished.
And THIRD, it seems that our worsening plight is of no serious import to our local government officials and national agencies, and may be the last of their priorities.
WE HAVE THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT, while we are willing to do all we can to help find a definitive solution to our flooding problem, WE CAN NO LONGER WAIT, NOR FURTHER ENDURE THIS CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER TO OUR SAFETY, OUR HEALTH, OUR LIVELIHOOD AND OUR VERY LIVES.
THEREFORE, we hereby resolve to:
- confront this problem head-on with all the willpower and resources vested upon us as sovereign citizens of the land;
- scan and study all pertinent laws, rules and regulations and locate responsibility, and hold to account those who are officially liable for such responsibility;
- take all necessary action in pursuit of our goal, accepting no excuses, tolerating no blame-shifting, condoning no political posturings or token actuations which are, as experience shows, nothing but useless, fruitless, cosmetic activities that neither prevent nor abate flooding.
We call on all citizens who are similarly aggrieved and endangered to come and join us.
Since this blight, this menace of relentless flooding has invaded our livelihood, our very homes and imperiled our lives… we will deliver our calibrated and concerted response right at the doorstep of those who should answer for or be held responsible for this unmitigated danger that has befallen our city.
God help us!
FELLOW CITIZENS, LET US UNITE!
