The First Hazardous Waste Facility in the Philippines

By Lourdes Ledesma

In 1990, President Corazon C. Aquino signed Republic Act No. 6969, also known as the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990. This Act covers the importation, manufacture, processing, handling, storage, transportation, sale, distribution, use and disposal of all unregulated chemical substances and mixtures in the Philippines, including the entry even in transit. 

Even with the regulations in place, hazardous wastes (batteries, electronic junk, chemicals, paints, pesticides, etc.) are not adequately treated and are either illegally thrown in waterways or open dumps. According to a study by USAid on e-waste recycling and disposal in Asian countries, in the Philippines, almost one-half of the 400 rivers in the country are characterized as biologically dead due to contamination from industrial and residential run-off and inadequate sewerage and drainage infrastructure. In addition, the lack of a central hazardous waste treatment facility is a major obstacle to properly disposing of toxic and hazardous waste. 

The electronics industry in the Philippines plays a major role in the economic development of the country. It has consistently contributed the highest export revenues since 1981. It has also promoted the rapid computerization of practically all the corporate offices in Metro Manila as well as most government agencies. Because of the nature of the growing information technology, rapid obsolescence of hardware has also contributed to the build-up of e-junk in the country. Most of this e-waste end up in open dumps and waterways, where they contribute to the pollution of the environment. TV sets, mobile phones and computers contain a lot of lead and other toxic metals, and when dumped anywhere, pollute the environment enough to affect the health of humans adversely. 

For decades, developing countries in Asia and Africa have been used as a dumping ground for the toxic wastes from industrialized countries in Europe and North America. In an earlier article, I related the story of a particular town in China, called Guiyu, where the U.S., Canada, Germany and other developed nations send their e-waste to be recycled and processed by the most primitive methods by Chinese families for a daily pittance. Needless to say, the town inhabitants suffer from diseases arising from undrinkable water, unbreathable air, and toxic metals poisoning. A study of hazardous waste trade traffic showed that the Philippines, India, and Thailand have been destinations of toxic wastes dumping from industrialized countries. In December, 1999, Philippine authorities seized 122 forty-foot containers carrying infectious medical wastes from Japan. The cargo was disguised as used plastic scrap for recycling. Following a public outcry, the containers were shipped back to Japan. Subsequent investigations in Japan showed that this was a customary practice, only not known to the public. Australia before 1997 was the top exporter of scrap lead batteries to the Philippines. Lead wastes from Australia, the Netherlands and the U.S. have regularly entered Asia from the Philippines, Thailand and India. In the Philippines, a leading importer and recycler, Philippine Recyclers Inc. (PRI), was found to have serious lead contamination in the soil, vegetation, and river sediments around its factory area. It had been caught illegally dumping the toxic wastes from its factory in several open dumpsites near agricultural fields. Lead contamination was found in tests conducted by Greenpeace and health experts in the blood of children living near PRI. 

Now, because of one man’s determination to address this greatest danger to our environment, the expansion of the only privately-owned integrated hazardous waste treatment facility in the Philippines was launched last April 20th, 2009 in Silang, Cavite. In a 1.4 ha. lot, Herminio Esguerra, CEO of Cleanway Technology Corporation (CTC) and the Herma Group of Companies, started, against great opposition from the local and business community, to build a secure landfill in September of 2004. He wanted to prove that saving the environment and making a profit are both viable and sustainable. Four years after Cleanway’s integrated waste-treatment facility started its business operations, it has become the Philippines’ leading integrated environmental management company that uses the most advanced technology for waste treatment and disposal. This year’s launching of a state-of-the-art expanded and integrated facility for treatment of different kinds of hazardous waste, also marked the closure of its first secure landfill and the groundbreaking of a second larger-capacity secure landfill. The company currently addresses the waste-management problems of more than 100 big companies including car manufacturers and dealers, hospitals and various industries. 

Employing the latest technology and processes, Esguerra’s hazardous toxic waste facilities are in compliance with local and international environmental laws. They handle industrial, chemical, and medical wastes, treat it until no longer toxic to humans and the environment, then dump it into the secure landfill. The “secure” landfill is the highest type of landfill which complies with R.A. 9003. It is a cavity in the earth, double-lined with geomembrane and geotextiles, a material composed of reinforced fiber and wires designed to last for years. While not yet sealed, the secure landfill is designed with a drainage system for leachates that are channeled to a treatment chamber until it is stabilized and can be returned to the environment safely. At the end of this process is a fishpond where live marine animals swim freely. 

What Esguerra has done for his community has been to raise awareness that an efficient disposal system of toxic wastes can be achieved, to create a cleaner world, while generating employment and boosting the local economy. The community has fully embraced the CTC facility, and Esguerra has given back to his community scholarships to deserving students, adopting schools and sponsoring other ourtreach programs such as medical missions. Already there are plans to expand these facilities to other sites, such as Cebu. As Esguerra comments, “Do business with the environment `correctly’ and for sure, profit will be the by-product. We owe it to the next generation. This is our legacy. This is not only for Cleanway and the Herma Group, but this is for all.” 

What Esguerra has shown us is that if we care enough, a vision can become a reality. Do we care enough?* 

April Fools?

SOMETHING SMELLS!

Negros Daily Bulletin

By Alan S. Gensoli

As I write this column, my celfone is ringing fast and furious ushering text messages from business owners and executives, even barangay officials, confirming their receipt of notice from Mayor Bing Leonardia and Councilor Greg Gasataya that effective April 1, 2009, unsegregated garbage will no longer be picked up. Moreover, penalties will be imposed upon those convicted of non-compliance to the city government’s directives towards Bacolod’s final and full subscription to R.A. 9003, the country’s Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. I thought this day would never come. Apparently, it will. Alleluia! 

First thing’s first: As much as I have been critical of our local government in the past for its delayed compliance to R.A. 9003, it is now incumbent upon me to applaud Mayor Bing Leonardia and Councilor Greg Gasataya for this landmark step, albeit the first step, towards the implementation of R.A. 9003. 

When Pres. Arroyo signed E.O. 774 last Dec. 26 and gave a new deadline of June 26, 2009 for LGUs to reduce solid waste generation by 50%, I admit I was skeptical about the ability of the present government of Bacolod City to perform. Imagine my glee now that City Hall has turned around to beat the President’s cut-off date by almost three months. If we give censure where censure is due, we must also give credit where credit is due. To ignore this accomplishment of our local government would only hold the integrity of my past criticisms suspect. And so, cheers, City Hall! 

The notice came in the form of a four-page flyer, relatively brief but packed with all the needed information-needed for now, that is. You see, if Mayor Bing and Councilor Greg gave us the entire R.A. 9003 in one fell swoop, nothing could ensure resistance to Solid Waste Management more. But with this flyer, we are given just enough information to make a dent at SWM, and that’s good enough, I believe, for so long as we are all clear that this is just the beginning, and that there will be improvements and modifications along the way to SWM heaven. 

I like it that the flyer includes basic descriptions of what compostable, recyclable, residual, and special wastes are, the latter really referring to hazardous wastes. There are also examples of each-all the reason for us to comply and for government to penalize us when we do not comply. I also like it that the flyer lists examples of prohibited acts and their corresponding penalties. There are a total of 16 prohibited acts listed in Sec. 48 of R.A. 9003, but the flyer includes four only, for now. The four are most applicable to our local population: Littering or throwing wastes in public places (like flicking a cigarette butt, and I suppose, even spitting), open burning of wastes (like burning our garden sweepings every afternoon, like burning sugarcane cansiaja after the field has been harvested), open dumping (like designated dumping areas in our subdivisions where we dump unsegregated garbage), and mixing of segregated garbage. The fines for these range from P300 to P500,000. And there could be additional imprisonment of up to six months. 

Please do not misunderstand that just because only these four have been published by our city government you cannot be faulted for the other 12. Remember what they say about ignorance of the law. If that happens to you, it would be adding injury to insult-ignorante ka na, namultahan ka pa. 

If at the time this column is published you haven’t received any notice from your barangay captain yet, call him. Or her. You need to get in touch with your barnagay officials because things need to be explained to you, such as, how to segregate garbage, what are the collection days for different types of garbage, and if you have to bring your garbage to certain pick up points central to your barangay. 

One of the worst things that could happen is for you to be waiting, and waiting, and waiting for the garbage truck to collect from your house, and the garbage truck never comes, because you are supposed to take your garbage to a designated pick-up station in your barangay. Make it your business to know all these things, because if you don’t, because if you persist to be lazy, you will stink. Nanimaho ka na, multahan ka pa. Araguy. 

The penalties-including fines and imprisonment-are there for a reason, the reason being, resistance to garbage segregation. We hope there will be no resistance, but should there be, the penalties will kick in. But let us be clear: The penalties are not there to threaten the worst of us. They are there to protect the best of us. Penalties are there to preserve what is right for a civilized society. And resistance to SWM, just because it is inconvenient, just because it demands extra work, just because it is outside of what we are accustomed to doing, is not right for a civilized society. Let us not protest City Hall’s April 1 deadline because we are already on borrowed time. Our compliance to R.A. 9003 is long overdue, in fact, five years overdue. 

You read me right: our compliance! While before I wrote and talked about City Hall’s compliance, or the lack of it, to R.A. 9003, now that City Hall has given a deadline, now that City Hall is ready to implement in earnest R.A. 9003, the topic shifts from City Hall’s compliance to “our compliance.” That’s because per R.A. 9003, garbage segregation must be done at source. That means at home, or wherever garbage is generated. 

My co-writers in the Bacolod Anti-Baha Alliance, whose views you read on this space three times a week, have shared volumes of advice about SWM. Perhaps some of you bite your lips now wishing you clipped all that and stuck them on your fridge door. But it’s not too late to gather fresh information, and neither is SWM advice too complicated. Many, in fact, are common-sensical. Such as the first R in the 5-Rs of SWM: REFUSE plastics. Add to that the second R: REDUCE if you can’t Refuse. You can start with these two. You should, in fact, start with these two. 

We in the Alliance have been pushing the use of re-usable shopping bags. We’re not saying that you should buy our katcha bag, or the green bag of SM, or any other reusable grocery bag being peddled around town. We’re simply saying that all of us have some kind of REUSABLE bag at home that may be used and reused to carry your groceries, and that we should use these instead of the “sando” plastic bags. Never mind if your bag doesn’t look like a grocery bag. Never mind that it’s actually a roll-aboard, or an old Louis Vuitton daffle, an old Coach saddle, or an old Dooney & Burke pouch. Anything at all is better than the “sando” plastic bag, because people use the “sando” plastic bag to dispose of their feces, which eventually turn up in our dumpsite, contaminating our potable groundwater source with fecal coliform! 

Begin your SWM habit by refusing and reducing the use of plastics. By doing so, you would already have won half the battle, because if you REFUSE and REDUCE, then there will be less to RE-USE, less to RECYLCE, and less to ROT-which are the final three Rs of SWM. 

I know, April 1 is April Fools Day. But don’t get the funny idea that Mayor Bing and Councilor Greg are just fooling around with this deadline. If I may say so myself, our local government and we in the Bacolod Anti-Baha Alliance have quarreled about SWM for far too long. We have debated each other. We have begrudged each other. We have worked with each other, and then divorced each other. We have come a long way to know that City Hall is serious about April 1. And so, a word to the wise: On April 1, don’t take City Hall for a fool because you will end up as April’s Fool. Be a good citizen of this city. Follow the rules. Segregate your garbage. Bacolod City is not a place for uncivilized, unkempt people. Be clean and make your mother proud of you!*

How well do you know your PETs?

SOMETHING SMELLS

Negros Daily Bulletin

By Tina M. Monfort

Did you know that Leonardo Da Vinci invented the first form of natural plastic during the renaissance period? The plastic Da Vinci created was made from both animal and vegetable glues combined with organic fibers. When this combination dried, Da Vinci was left with a product that would be described today as a plastic-like substance. 

Plastic bottles were first used commercially in 1947, but remained relatively expensive until the early 1960 when high-density Polyethylene was introduced. 

Symbols are required to appear on all bottles of size 8 oz. and greater. The symbols consist of a triangle, formed by three “chasing arrows”, with a specific number in the center that indicates the material from which the bottle is made. Each of the three arrows can represent one step in a three-step process that forms a closed loop, the recycling loop. The first step represents collection of materials to be recycled. This step takes place when recyclable materials are placed into your recycling bin or taken to a local collection center. The collected materials are then cleaned and sorted for sale to a manufacturing facility. The manufacturing process is the second arrow in the recycling symbol. The recyclable materials are manufactured into new products for retail or commercial sale. The third step is the actual purchase and use of the products made from the recycled materials. The loop is now complete. 

(Polyethylene Terephthalate) is commonly used for carbonated beverage and water bottles, mouthwash bottles, peanut butter containers, salad dressing containers, juice bottles and vegetable oil bottles. 

(High Density Polyethylene) used for milk containers, juice bottles, water bottles, bleach, detergent, shampoo bottles, trash bags, grocery and retail carrying bags, motor oil bottles, butter and margarine tubs, household cleaner bottles, yogurt containers, and cereal box liners. 

(Polyvinyl Chloride) used for window cleaner bottles, cooking oil bottles, detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, clear food packaging, wire and cable jacketing, medical tubing, with additional significant usage in household products and building materials, particularly siding, piping, and windows. 

(Low Density Polyethylene) used for squeezable bottles, bread bags, frozen food bags, tote bags, clothing, furniture, dry cleaning bags, and carpet. 

(Polypropylene) is used primarily for jars and closures. 

(Polystyrene) used for plates, cups, cutlery, meat trays, egg cartons, carry-out containers, aspirin bottles and compact disc jackets. 

The category of “Other” includes any resin not specifically numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, or combinations of one or more of these resins. 

Generally, a product that is recycled is remanufactured into a new product that has less demanding specifications for the new use of the recycled product. Plastic materials may be recycled into a packaging material of less stringent requirements. 

Recycling has been aided by the creation of The Plastic Bottle Material Code System, also known as the Resin identification code. The symbols in this system are designed to be easily readable and distinguishable from other markings on the container. 

The code number is also supplemented by the common letter indication for the various resins under the symbol, to serve as a constant verification of the material sorted. For example, 1 type plastics are made of PETE, 2 and 4 type plastics are made of Polyethylene, 5 type plastics are made of Polypropylene, and 7 type plastics can be made of a variety of things, such as polycarbonates, 3 and 6 type plastics being the most common. 

Are PET bottles safe? Is there a risk in re-using them? Does heat cause carcinogenic chemicals to leak out from the PET bottle to the bottles’ contents? All these and more commonly asked questions on Feb.25. See you!*

Promises Made and Broken

SOMETHING SMELLS

Negros Daily Bulletin

By Agnes T. Jalandoni

They say you can tell much about a man by the promises he keeps. Our politicians have elevated the art of making promises and not keeping them into an art. 

As the city prepares its own landfill it would be good for us to monitor how our local officials plan to complete this project. Since the Bacolod Anti Baha Alliance was formed in Nov. 2007, garbage has been found to be one of the major causes of flooding. As the monitoring and research efforts of the group intensified, it became necessary to track how our city handles garbage and more importantly, where it is thrown. On Oct. 26, 2008 when the residents of Brgy. Felisa barricaded their streets to prevent 19 garbage trucks from delivering garbage to the open dump, the Anti- Baha Alliance reacted. Not only were the residents treated unfairly, but they revealed that their community was promised a controlled dump and dealt another. They did not want to be taken for another ride. 

Before we forget about this dramatic confrontation, the underlying issues and disastrous consequences of our not fully knowing the facts, let us remember that we owe the residents of Brgy. Felisa big time. Why? Because they have agreed to accept every single piece of basura we have thrown since January 19, 2005! Now the city plans to put up a landfill in the adjacent area, more basura will be dumped! What if it was your own back yard being filled with garbage?

The truth of the matter is, after the closure of the Mandalagan dump in 2004, Arlene Dalawis of DENR Region 6 issued a “Notice to Proceed” to Mayor Leonardia authorizing the city to operate a CONTROLLED dumpsite in Purok Acacia, Brgy. Felisa. The residents even recalled their being brought to Bais on a field trip to see how a controlled dumpsite is operated. Inspired by what they saw they were optimistic that what the Mayor had promised- that the city would operate a similar controlled dump would be done. They showed us a picture of the inauguration where the streamer heralded the opening of the “Controlled Dumpsite.” Broken promise! For three years, the residents watched helplessly as truck after truck wantonly dumped non- segregated garbage into the open dumpsite. Worse, the dump slowly polluted the adjacent Cabura Creek where once their children bathed and their carabaos drank. The site is 15 meters from the Cabura creek and is not the required minimum of 50 meters away. No wonder they took to the streets. 

As early as Nov. 7, 2005, the DENR issued a Cease and Desist Order (CDO) to Bacolod City preventing continued open dumping of garbage in Brgy. Felisa. This detail was mentioned in the letter of DENR Reg. Director Bienvenido Lipayon to Mayor Evelio Leonardia dated Sept. 17, 2008. Why were the mitigating measures needed to operate a controlled dump not complied with then? It was bad enough that the area did not start operating as a controlled dump. Yet, when warned, the city did not make the necessary corrections. 

How can we believe that the city will close and rehabilitate the existing dump as prescribed? Worse, can our officials prepare a landfill correctly when they could not make good on their promise to Brgy. Felisa residents? The safe closure and rehabilitation plan for the existing dump has already been submitted by the City to the DENR. 

Last Nov. 3, 2008, the Anti - Baha Alliance met with DENR Regional Executive Director Lormelyn Claudio to clarify the issues raised by Brgy. Felisa residents. During the discussion, the timetable of the Safe Closure and Rehabilitation Plan was referred to. Dir. Claudio who admitted that the first item in the plan, which was the clearing of the dumpsite by Oct. 2008 was not accomplished as scheduled. 

Another promise broken - too soon. 

As custodians of our welfare and environment, our city officials were elected to enforce the laws, comply with plans they themselves submit, and simply, just make good on their promises. In a recent interview in the Banat Baha TV show, Councilor Greg Gasataya said that they are beginning to comply with the plan. A few days later, the local papers reported that Mayor Bing and our city officials go on another field trip to San Carlos City to look at the landfill of the city. 

It’s the same thing all over again. Promises, promises, promises.*

826 + 359 = P2.8 Billion

SOMETHING SMELLS

Negros Daily Bulletin

By Alan S. Gensoli

Luma si Einstein sa formula ni Atienza.

But before I go into that...last time my column ran, I asked you to look out for my next column originally scheduled on Feb. 9. I spoke too soon. During the last weekly meeting of the Communications Committee of the Bacolod Anti-Baha Alliance, chaired by Gigi Campos, it was decided by our Writers’ Bureau that I take the column every Monday. So, here I am. 

Starting today, you can read my mind on this space every Monday. Now that you know that we have a Writers’ Bureau, you might wonder if we also have a Speakers’ Bureau. We most certainly do, but that belongs to our Education Committee, chaired by Maggie Jalandoni. In my future columns, I will insert snippets about the activities of all of our other committees, including Legal (chaired by Agnes Jalandoni), Research (chaired by Dr. Elsie Coscolluela), Monitoring (chaired by Norman Campos), New Business (chaired by Jean Trebol), Membership (chaired by Chole Chua), Secretariat (chaired by Sally Ledesma), Community Development (chaired by Dioning de la Cruz), Product Merchandising (chaired by Tina Monfort), and of course, Finance (chaired by Gina Piccio). Now you know that the members of the Bacolod Anti-Baha Alliance work very hard at what they do. 

Back to Einstein...este...Atienza. On May 5, 2008, DENR Sec. Lito Atienza gave LGUs an extension of six months to comply with R.A. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. Under R.A. 9003, all open garbage dumps were supposed to be closed by Feb. 16, 2004, giving way to the use of controlled dumps. Two years later, on Feb. 16, 2006, all controlled dumps were also supposed to be closed, giving way to sanitary landfills. By now it is common knowledge that the Bacolod garbage dump in Purok Acacia, Brgy. Felisa, is still an open dump, five years after open dumps were declared illegal. And as you will soon learn, Bacolod is not alone. Reason for the six-month extension graciously granted by Sec. Atienza because the DENR, his office, did not do its job of compelling LGUs to comply with R.A. 9003 as originally scheduled by law. How convenient. I call it incentivising inefficiency. 

Nothing in R.A. 9003 specifically bestows power to the DENR Secretary to give deadline extensions. But granted that Atienza is authorized to do so, what has he to show for the exercise of such authority? Apparently, nothing. The six-month extension started on May 5th ended on Nov. 5th. That explains the cotillion of DENR officials who came to Bacolod around that time, DENR Reg. Exec. Dir. Lormelyn Claudio and Reg. Dir. Bienvenido Lipayon on Nov. 3, and NSWMC Exec. Dir. Gerardo Calderon on Nov. 13. Chaired by Atienza himself, the National Solid Waste Management Commission, or NSWMC, was created by R.A. 9003 to implement R.A. 9003, but so far, it has fallen flat on its face. In fact, when Calderon marched into town, he claimed that there are about 900 non-compliant LGUs in the country. That’s when I suspected that the six-month extension granted by Atienza was an exercise in futility. 

True enough, on Jan. 2, 2009, The Philippine Star ran a story titled, “Atienza wants LGUs’ waste handling subsidies adjusted.” In the story Atienza admitted that there are still 826 open dumps in the country, illegal since 2004. DENR records add that there are also 359 controlled dumps, illegal since 2006. These, after Atienza authorized a delay in compliance to R.A. 9003 by giving LGUs a six-month extension. Because that is exactly what Atienza did: he authorized a delay! Not only did he fail to compel LGUs to comply, he authorized further delay in compliance by giving that six-month extension. Atienza made the worse come to worst. If he were a slice of porkchop, he just jumped from the pan and into the fire. 

As if Atienza hadn’t inflicted enough pain upon communities with open dumps, he said that he was now inclined to appeal to NEDA for a change in our national policy on waste management, in order to give LGUs money to build their sanitary landfills. And when will that happen? For surely that will cause more delay. 

On Jan. 11, 2009, the Manila Bulletin ran a story titled, “P2.8B allocated to help LGUs shift to “green” sanitary landfills.” Now, the Atienza formula is complete: 826 + 359 = P2.8 Billion! It’s not math. It’s magic. The story disclosed that the DENR has allocated P2.8 Billion as subsidy for LGUs to construct their landfills. When will this be released? Is this just mere talk to buy time? And by the way, this may not be the final solution yet, because according to the story the allocations will require counterpart funding that LGUs must cough up. There’s another reason for more delay as LGUs will predictably pretend they are cash-strapped. 

Moreover, in the same story, the NSWMC disclosed that there are 16 existing sanitary landfills in the country, while 19 more are under construction. Granting that the records of the NSWMC are correct, and that may be granting too much, that’s only a total of 35 landfills, a far cry from 931 LGUs that the NSWMC says continue to maintain illegal dumps. Now, let me offer you more insight. How come Atienza claims that there are still 826 open dumps and 359 controlled dumps, while the NSWMC claims there are 931 erring LGUs? The difference in the computations may be due to the fact that some LGUs have more than one illegal dump. Based on the foregoing numbers, on the average, every erring LGU has 1.27 illegal dumps. But Bacolod is an “above-average” kind of city. Bacolod has 10, more or less. While we are just focused on the open dump in Purok Acacia, Brgy. Felisa, there have been many other open dumps used in the past that have not yet been safely closed and rehabilitated. In early January, the Bacolod Anti-Baha Alliance sent the list to DENR Reg. Dir. Bienvenido Lipayon to confirm if the city has secured authority to close these open dumps. Lipayon wrote back to confirm that the city has not. And so, while Bacolod is one of the 931 erring LGUs, Bacolod accounts for 10 of the 1,185 (826 + 359) illegal open dumps. But let’s go back to Atienza. 

Sec. Lito Atienza seems not at all determined to put pressure on LGUs to comply with R.A. 9003. But why? Perhaps, because Atienza is planning to run for the Senate in 2010 and so he would like to get on the good side of mayors so they will carry his name in their sample ballots? If so, then let me make this promise now, that in 2010, should Atienza run for the Senate, I will personally campaign for his defeat. Pex man!*

Burning Bright In A Culture Of Cynicism

SOMETHING SMELLS!

Negros Daily Bulletin

By Gigi M. Campos

Many books have been written proposing grand solutions to social problems facing our world but failed to offer immediate, everyday actions we can take. The Better World Handbook written by authors Ellis Jones, Ross Haenfler and Brett Johnson suggests actions connected to everyday life that you and I can take NOW. The introduction to the book, so accurately describes the state we are in. 

“We have become a nation of sleepwalkers. We look around at the world’s problems and wish they would go away, but they stubbornly persist despite our most heartfelt desires. So we end up living in a kind of ethical haze. It’s not that people are bad or that evil is winning some kind of eternal battle. The vast majority of us have good intentions when we go about our daily lives. It’s that we have been lulled into a sense of complacency around the world’s problems, like they are less than real occurrences so we react similar to how we might normalize strange events that occur while we’re in the middle of a dream. We are stuck in our daily routines, living on auto-pilot when it comes to the rest of the world. People starve, communities fall apart, violence thrives, families fade, and nature disappears, and we continue on with our lives as if nothing is wrong. But like a whisper in the back of our minds that stays with us always, we have the feeling that something has gone awry. We have lost our faith in each other. Politicians are corrupt, lawyers win cases without justice being served; it seems that everything and everyone is for sale. Nothing remains sacred. We feel that perhaps we can only truly rely on ourselves. 

“When these negative beliefs become widespread, we disengage from the outer world, recoiling into our own personal lives. As we withdraw, we see our society rushing aimlessly toward an unknown future without any sense of morality or conscious purpose to direct it. Awash in a sea of knowledge, we lack the wisdom to guide our own destiny. How did we end up here. Of late, many people have begun to point the finger at a culture that breeds apathy. In fact, beneath apathy there lies an even bigger culprit, cynicism, which may be defined as the deeply ingrained belief that human beings are, and have always been, inherently selfish. Cynicism in this form is not just a long-term emotional state or adopted intellectual philosophy, it is a way of relating to the world. As a consequence we begin to see the world as a place that will always be filled with social problems because we are convinced that people look out for their own best interests above all else. It is the fundamental destruction of hope. The most that you can strive for under this kind of a world view is that you become savvy enough to pursue your own self-interest in such a way that you come out somewhere nearer to the top rather than the bottom. The pursuit of happiness is relegated to an equation that consists of accumulating material wealth, increasing your social status and having the freedom to indulge in any pleasure you desire. Helping others, giving something back and making a difference in the world no longer show up on the radar of popular culture. 

“People who decide to seriously pursue these less common goals are often labeled as odd, naive, overly sentimental, unrealistic or simply irrational. In a world of constantly increasing complexity, this kind of cynicism becomes the safest, most strategic position to adopt. It involves no action and thus no risk. Cynics can portray their inaction as more rational, objective and even more scientifically founded than people who are taking action based on incomplete information. Consequently, apathy becomes an acceptable state of being. So what happened? How did we become this cynical? Simply put, our modern society manufactures cynicism. Everyday we are bombarded with media reports, both locally focused and from around the globe, of crime, disaster, conflict, scandal... anything dark and sensational enough to generate a headline. The stories are presented in a manner that is usually too brief to gain any meaningful understanding of the problems and that lacks any option for us to contribute in any significant way to their resolution. These waves of negative imagery wash over us relentlessly as we try to keep up with what’s happening in the world around us. Like sponges, we absorb this negativity, and it spills over into how we look at and, ultimately, how we act or fail to act in the world. 

“The $64,000 question now turns out to be, how do we break out of this cycle of cynicism? First, we must stop blaming others for not doing anything and begin to take personal responsibility for being good people in the world. No one else can do it for us. We need to seek out information about our problems that provides us with a basic understanding of what’s going on as well as a variety of options for action. We have to generate a form of practical idealism based on well-informed actions that are accessible to all of us and that actually make a difference in the world. Each of us must decide what we want our lives to stand for, how we can uniquely contribute to a better world. By thinking about our lives in terms of what we can provide for the next generations rather than we can take for ourselves in this lifetime, we are choosing to create our own destiny instead of leaving our children’s future up for grabs.” 

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” M. K. Gandhi*

Step 1: Open Mouth, Step 2: Insert Foot

SOMETHING SMELLS

Negros Daily Bulletin

By Alan S. Gensoli

When National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) Executive Director Gerardo Calderon visited Bacolod back in November, he unwittingly admitted to media that there are 900 LGUs in the country that have not yet complied with R.A. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. This is ironic and self-incriminating because the NSWMC was created by R.A. 9003 precisely to implement R.A. 9003. So, why the unruly 900? Open mouth, insert foot. Among the legislated responsibilities of the NSWMC are to approve Solid Waste Management (SWM) plans of LGUs, to monitor and report work progress on these plans, and to coordinate with local SWM boards. 

It doesn’t take a genius to read the mind of a seasoned traditional politician such as Calderon, who happens to be a former mayor, I am told, and who happened to choose SWM for his pet project during his LGU days, I am furthermore told. Now, it seems that pet project has turned into a pet peeve. But why? Political courtesy? 

Obviously, Calderon’s sloppy confession about the 900 erring LGUs was meant to silence our objection to our city’s non-compliance, as if to say, it’s okay if Bacolod is non-compliant because there are 900 of us, anyway. A Happy New Year to you, too, Mr. Calderon, but shame, shame, shame for thinking us so dumb as to fall for your lame and desperate excuse. Instead, I am wont to ask now, how come there are 900 non-compliant LGUs when this law was passed eight years ago? 

Somebody was surely sleeping on the job. And it might not have been Calderon, since he is relatively new to the post. So, who was sleeping on the job? Calderon’s boss? DENR Sec. Atienza? By his confession, Calderon seems to insinuate so. Again, open wide, insert foot. 

Let me wager this analogy: When 25 students in a class of 50 get a failing grade at the end of the school year, we do not think that all 25 students are dumb. Rather, we suspect the competence of the teacher. In the same manner, when 900 LGUs are caught delinquent, we must question the competence of the person charged to watch over them. Apparently, Exec. Dir. Calderon does not have the political will to execute the duties of his office. On Sept. 12, 2008, the Bacolod LGU received a Notice of Non-Compliance from the NSWMC signed by Calderon’s predecessor, Atty. Zoilo Andin, Jr. The NSWMC notice cautioned Mayor Leonardia to immediately undertake measures to address the city’s continued non-compliance with the law, further saying that failure to heed the warning could result in administrative prosecution before the DILG or criminal action to impose the penalties provided for by R.A. 9003. 

Great bark, but where’s the bite? Calderon muzzled Andin, it would seem. Just two months later, the new NSWMC Exec. Dir. Calderon swings to town and suggests that it’s okay, because there are 900 LGUs like Bacolod, anyway. Calderon’s was a grave mistake. What could have been a progressive move initiated by Exec. Dir. Andin was aborted by Exec. Dir. Calderon. For a government official to condone non-compliance with the law smacks of legislative sabotage.

The NSWMC and its mother agency, the DENR, have shown chronic impotence in the implementation of R.A. 9003. Such weakness of intelligence and political will goes way back in time, to Dec. 29, 2004, when the DENR issued the Bacolod LGU a Notice to Proceed with the construction of a controlled dumpsite in Brgy. Felisa. Eight days earlier, on Dec. 21, 2004, the Mines & Geosciences Bureau (MGB), a downline agency of the DENR, issued a report that testified that the soil in Felisa is permeable and the groundwater level is shallow, making the site not conducive to a garbage dump, controlled or otherwise. 

That the garbage dump in Felisa turned out to be an open dump, and not a controlled dump as authorized by the DENR, makes the situation worse. 

The report of the MGB commented though, that should Bacolod decide on the Felisa site anyway, certain mitigating measures must be put in place, among which are the construction of the dumpsite farther from the active stream (Cabura Creek), the construction of a water collection pond, treatment of collected water, the installation of natural clay liners, and limiting excavation so groundwater level is not reached. And whose job is it to monitor and report if these mitigating measures are put in place? According to the law, the NSWMC’s. That these mitigating measures were not adhered to, whose fault is that now? 

Sure, the 900 erring LGUs cannot be saved blameless, but 900 is such a huge number that one is sadly tempted to conclude that non-compliance must be a way of life among many LGUs. All the reason for the DENR and NSWMC to be stricter in monitoring. If 900 LGUs in the country failed to comply with R.A. 9003, it is because they can all get away with non-compliance. It is because the DENR and the NSWMC failed to exercise political will in implementing the law. 

Please watch out for my next column on Feb. 9. I will write about Sec. Atienza then. After that, I will write about DENR Exec. Reg. Dir. Lormelyn Claudio. After that, I will write about DENR Reg. Dir. Bienvenido Lipayon.* 

THE GREEN WORKPLACE

SOMETHING SMELLS!

Negros Daily Bulletin

By Tina M. Monfort

 As I always say, small things add up.   If 50 people do 50 small things it starts to make a big difference. Encourage coworkers to get into the game, start reducing energy consumption in the workplace and see how much fun it can be.

 Our environment is in a crisis.   So what do we do?  Year 2009 is the time to stop sitting on our hands. With a little help and education, we can turn not only our homes, but also our workplaces eco-friendly.  Let’s start with these:

Be Paper Smart.  To create a paper smart / paperless office, start with changing  how you think about paper.  Before printing anything, ask yourself if it is absolutely necessary.  Preview all documents before printing.   Going paperless uses less storage space for files, saves cost for printing, mailing and shipping and needless to say, use fewer trees to produce paper.  Require everyone to use both sides of the paper.  Yes, REQUIRE!  This will definitely reduce your paper consumption by half.  Use misprints as notepads – misprints are not cute and attractive unlike the notepads but what would you rather be?  Cute or an earth-monster?

 Reuse Boxes.  Perfect for storing files and office supplies.  Why not request an artistic co-worker to fancy it up with old or unused poster paints, accessories, decorative papers just lying around your house? This will definitely add a little color to your cubicle.  Reuse everything else you can still use.  Reuse and recycle.  I’m sure there are 101 trays and cute little containers at home waiting to be used.  Bring them over.  This should make up for the not-so-cute misprint notepads.  That’s hitting two birds (or even more since the eco- list is endless) with one stone, don’t you think?  Isn’t recycling so much fun?

Go Draft. Ink used in printers is toxic and using lots is certainly not being eco-friendly. Use as little ink as possible by printing in ‘draft’ or by using black and white and remember to have the cartridge refilled. 

Don’t Fake It.  Bring real plants into the office. ‘Fakes’ might be low on maintenance, but the real thing is beautiful and enhances the oxygen level around.  Don’t forget to water them! 

Change Your Filters (or clean it).   Make sure your air condition unit is well serviced to maximize its efficiency.

Let The Sunshine In. Open up all the blinds. Natural light is free and brightens the mood of workers. With the sunshine come the flowers and the trees, the birds and the bees…back to work now.  Hungry yet?

Lunch Is Served.  Bring your own meals to work in reusable containers. Definitely healthier than take-out options. Less packaging too. Go easy on the bottled water.  Bring your own bottle container. A water intake of 2  to 3 liters daily is highly recommended.  

Go CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs or Lamps).  Use energy saving light bulbs.  Practically all hardware stores carry these spiral bulbs.  May cost a wee bit more off the shelf but it will surely outlive several traditional bulbs in the long run.  Do the math! 

Back To Basics. Turn off your lights when you don’t need them, unplug office equipments (fax machines, printers, copiers, computers) when not in use, take public transportation, carpool with friends, combine your errands, etc., etc.  Need I say more? 

Telecommute.  Whenever you can, use your computer and your telephone to do the work for you.  You produce no carbon output from driving.  Stop your idle engine if you are parked for more than 30 seconds, it will be more fuel efficient.  This also reduces fuel emissions into the air and into the parking lot – cough, cough!  And while we’re at this, always maintain your car. Under inflated tires and neglecting your regular tune-ups can cause your car’s gas mileage to plummet. 

Paper, Glass and Plastic.  Suggest to your Manager to put recycle bins in the office.  Make a list of items which are used often and therefore, thrown often.

And the winner is… lastly, acknowledge and reward workers who work hard in making a difference in our environment.  Maybe this will inspire more workers to be eco-friendly. 

Trivia: Did you know that laptops only consume one-eighth the power of a traditional desktop computer?

 

Green Cleaning

SOMETHING SMELLS!

Negros Daily Bulletin

By Marilyn M. Soliven

Here we are in 2009. Foremost on my wish list is to initiate changes in my home, like clearing out cupboards, painting walls, checking drainages and pipes and all the cleaning needed to be done from top to bottom, inside and out. I have begun with minor sorting out starting with my closet, giving away things I do not need or use. 

There is a greener way to clean your home. You can use everyday items you probably already have in your cupboards to clean almost everything- from the stove to the floors, wooden furniture to glass windows, and more. Take stock of the cleaning supplies you have and resolve to replace each one with a greener version the next time it needs replacing. There are alternatives that work well, will save you money and are less toxic to the environment. So, to do green cleaning, try to remember some basic rules like saving those old toothbrushes for scrubbing dirt and stains out of small, difficult-to-reach areas. Also, clean up as you go along so that dirt and grime does not get too dried out or encrusted to be removed by natural cleaners. Use a dustpan and brush instead of the vacuum cleaner for small cleaning operations. Instead of aerosol sprays, opt for the plastic spray pumps. Aerosol spray cans are filled under pressure, so when you press the button, the product is carried farther - which carries the chemical into the air. The sprays can trigger allergic reactions in some people and bring on asthmatic attacks as well as polluting the atmosphere. Here are a few examples of some natural cleaners which you may already have in your home and how to use them. 

Borax is a natural mineral that’s a disinfectant. It’s great in the laundry and as a kitchen cleaner. Add it to your laundry powder to whiten and soften discolored towels and other whites. You can buy it at local drugstores for about Ph 60.00/kilo. 

Baking Soda is a mild abrasive and a good all-purpose cleaner. A 454gm. box costs around Ph 47.00 nowadays at grocery stores. Use it as you would an abrasive cleaning powder. Here are some suggestions: 

* Brighten up taps and other chrome fittings with water mixed with a little baking soda. 

* Clean worktops, appliances, and other surfaces with a small amount of baking soda on a damp cloth. 

* Clean the inside of your oven by moistening the walls with a damp cloth, sprinkling baking soda on the surfaces, and leaving it for an hour before wiping it off with a cloth. (If oven stains are too stubborn, try an oven cleaner that contains as few chemicals as possible). 

* Soak dirty pots and pans in a basin of hot water with 2 or 3 tablespoons of baking soda for about an hour. Then scrub them clean with an abrasive scrubber. 

* For red wine or coffee stains, pour soda water on the stain; if that doesn’t work, rub it in, and then brush it off. 

* Use baking soda on mildew in the shower and on shower curtains. Add just enough water to the baking soda to turn it into a thick paste. Use an old toothbrush for cleaning the grout between tiles. 

* Pour = cup baking soda down your kitchen or bathroom drain followed by = cup vinegar and then some boiling water. This combination breaks down fatty acids that block drains and helps to keep drains smelling fresh. 

Vinegar clears away grease and deodorizes. Use regular distilled white vinegar to 

* Clean lime scale off bathtubs, sinks, and shower heads. Soak the shower head in vinegar and then some boiling water. This combination breaks down fatty acids that block drains and helps to keep drains smelling fresh. 

* Wash your windows. Spray a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water on the windows and wipe them with old, crumpled - up newspaper to shine them up. (If the print comes off the newspaper onto your hands, it’s not yet old enough, so don’t use it for cleaning just yet.) 

* Brush around the toilet bowl. For stubborn marks, sprinkle the toilet bowl with baking soda and follow up by pouring some vinegar on top of it. Be prepared for the bubbling froth that results. Use a toilet brush to scour the bowl clean. 

Calamansi juice works on lime scale on bathroom fixtures. If the stains are stubborn, leave some juice on the mark for a few minutes, or soak a tissue with the juice and set it on the problem area. Calamansi is available all year round and costs Ph 25.00/ kilo. 

Olive oil takes finger marks off stainless steel, and when mixed with a little vinegar (about one part vinegar to three parts oil), it makes a good floor polish (or salad dressing!). A 250 ml. bottle costs about Ph.150.00 to Ph 200.00. 

Use a mixture of calamansi juice, water and olive oil instead of furniture polish. The proportions you use depend on the wood and how dirty it is; try a spoonful of each to start. Use it like you would any other polish: Wipe it on and then wipe it off with a dry cloth. Soda Water helps remove carpet stains. Simply dribble some on and dab the stains away. 

Experiment with the proportions and combinations of these natural cleaners until you find the ideal mix for cleaning every item in your house. When you find a mixture that works for you, make up a batch, put it into an empty jar or bottle, label it, and keep it for future use. 

Remember, using natural products and creating your own cleaning products may require a bit more effort on your part because they’re less abrasive and may be slow acting than chemical-laden alternatives. If you find that you still need to purchase other cleaning products in the supermarkets, be on the lookout for eco-friendly brands less harsh to the environment. Being conscious of what you use in your home is the first step to green cleaning.*