Again! Rains, floods, wastes, and more!

Wednesday’s afternoon rains did not stay long. Yet, even just a few hours of heavy downpour saw Metro Cebu flooded.

And where the floods are, expect plastic wastes, mud, other debris and more out in the streets, clogging drainages, stalling vehicles, stranding commuters. The floods did not also spare communities/homes. How much more the homeless?

The lightning-thunder-rains came again last Thursday.

Thankfully, the rains did not stay long BUT the same pathetic pattern (brief rains- floods-plastics-mud-wastes-other debris and more) repeated itself throughout many parts and streets of Metro Cebu clogging drainages, stalling vehicles, stranding commuters, and worse, entering/affecting communities and homes.

What about the homeless/the poor/the vulnerable/the marginalized – who are taking care of them amidst floods-rains-floods-more?

For years, for decades, the same scenario, the same challenges. And the same question – where, what is the solution from local governments, from the public, from all sectors?

Oh, especially after the floods/rains/public outrage, how many times have headlines bannered local officials declaring budgets, immediate action/response for drainage, for flood control?

Like the continuing rains-floods-wastes-mud-debris-pattern, the public experiences, to date, the repeated pattern of public officials verbally declaring their commitment, budget and prioritization of drainage/flood control measures.

Regretfully, while LGU officials have come and gone, the rains-floods-wastes-mud-debris-more-pattern remains unabated/unsolved.

Until when will this pattern persist? Should residents, constituents just shut up and resign themselves to this challenging pattern every time the rains come?

Surely, even the public officials themselves are affected by the rains and floods? When will genuine, comprehensive, systematic flood control solutions be collaboratively discussed/decided on and implemented?

“Everyone should do their share,” local officials often hurl back. People should segregate and manage their wastes more responsibly.

Who is implementing strict compliance about solid waste management and flood control measures? And the pinpointing and blaming game repeats itself like the rain-flood-wastes-mud-debris-more-pattern.

And so all of us are stuck, again and again, with these ineffective rain-waste-flood control and management measures.

And so, should we then just wait for the rains, floods to subside? Shall we just wait until the next rounds of rains/floods again and again and again?

Cannot we all combine forces and partner together towards effective measures to a.) Tame the rains and the floods, b.) Vigilantly review, monitor flood-control budgets and projects, c.) Unite to better segregate and manage wastes starting from our own hands, our households, our communities, our cities and towns?

Oh please, no more of expensive summits that yet have to translate into effective action projects and programs.

Yes to simple, inexpensive collaborative action teams that will comprehensively, systematically plan, and urgently implement measures to harvest and tame the rains and floods and save our people, our communities, the whole planet even?

Yes and thank you to genuine public servants and constituents who have truly tried to implement, here and there, canal/drainage clean-ups, better waste segregation and management schemes, and more!

Yes to concerned communities, schools, parishes, businesses, offices, agencies, groups and organizations that have continued to do their share to more effectively segregate, manage wastes and the rainwaters in their locations/areas.

Rain-flood-waste management needs a wider network of partners and a comprehensive, collaborative regular system of planning, action, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.

This rain-flood-waste management system should be done within and across communities, cities, towns, provinces throughout regions and the whole country.

Again, this quick rejoinder from LGUs especially – “these have been and are being done.”

These past/ongoing measures are appreciated, thank you. However, the recent/persistent rains-floods-wastes-mud-debris-more pattern clearly confirms that past/ongoing efforts are NOT ENOUGH, are INEFFECTIVE.

More will need to be done, more urgently, more comprehensively, more collaboratively/systematically. Yes, easier said than done. BUT better done than just said, right?

URGENTLY/PROMPTLY NEEDED - collaborative/comprehensive/systematic/ effective rain-flood-waste-management and system, planned/finalized/implemented within and across local government units, given budget/resource and other constraints!