When cleanliness remains a tall order

CEBU, Philippines - It’s a bright morning and the sun has found its way through the dark clouds. With a deal to close, you’re dressed to impress. Suddenly, just as you are a few inches closer to your meeting venue, the stranger walking beside you does the worst thing any civilized man can do – spit on the ground.

Unfortunately for you, his mucus hits your well-shined shoes, leaving you on the brink of hysteria while he walks away casually. 

The man is lucky. Had he been in Singapore, he would have been stopped on his tracks and fined S$1,000 (P35,007.11). And that’s just the fine for the first offense. Subsequent violations would cost him S$2,000 (P70,014.21) for the second offense and S$5,000 (P175,035.53) for the third offense.

Implementation of laws there is so uncompromising that the reputation precedes the country. Australia, for example, through its Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, has warned its citizens on the strict laws and penalties Singapore has against actions that may not be illegal or may be considered minor offense in Australia.

 These include smoking in public places or indoor restaurants, spitting, chewing or importing gum (including chewing tobacco), littering and jaywalking.

 These violate Section 17 of the country’s Environmental Public Health Act which prohibits any person from spitting any substance or expelling mucus from the nose upon or onto any street or any public place.

 The provisions on spitting “in any coffee shop, market, eating house, school house, theater or public building, or in any omnibus, railway carriage or other public conveyance, or on any wharf or jetty, or in any public road, or on any five-foot way or sidewalk of any public road, or in any other place to which the public has or may have access” are also included in the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Nuisances and Order) Act in Singapore.

In 2003, the country strengthened its campaign against spitting in public even more with the outbreak of the viral respiratory disease known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.

Medical studies show that viruses can be transmitted from phlegm, sputum, mucus, saliva and through air.

 Tan Ern Ser, a sociologist at the National University Singapore, said in a report with AsiaOne News that people spit mostly because of ignorance, bad habit and out of convenience.

Cebu situation

Cebu City may have a lot of catching up to do to reach this level of discipline.

The city is not wanting of relevant laws but the question that lingers is how many still can get away with spitting and even urinating in public.

Grace Luardo, chief of the Cebu City Environment Sanitation and Enforcement Team (CESET), admits social attitude cannot be changed overnight. While a more intensive enforcement of the law is necessary, she believes that the city’s problem on sanitation and hygiene can be addressed best through education. 

 She says discipline begins at home, thus, every resident must be trained in sanitation practices at a young age.

“Layo pa kaayo ta compared sa ubang nasod but hinay-hinayon lang nato. We can start in gradual implementation as long as naay barangay official nga mo-cooperate sa atoa, malipay na ta ana. Eventually, makakita ra unya ta og kausaban,” she says.

CESET was created specifically to enforce the city’s sanitation ordinance.

Article 8 of City Ordinance 1361 forbids spitting, urinating and defecating in public places. The ordinance further prohibits littering including burning of hazardous waste, posting handbills or posters on walls, painting graffiti, and scattering garbage from receptacles.

It also covers failure to clean surrounding areas five meters from the nearest unenclosed residences, vendor stalls, and commercial establishments; failure to provide proper waste receptacle including for animal-drawn vehicles and non-collection of animal discharges by owner.

 Article 31, as amended by Ordinance 1512, also states that “any person found guilty…shall be punished a fine of not less than P500 nor more than P1,000 or by imprisonment of not less than one month nor more than six months or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the court.”

 â€œThe compromise penalty which the violator shall pay out of court shall be in the amount of P2, 000,” the ordinance reads further.

Luardo says one of CESET’s objectives now is to increase continually the public’s awareness of existing laws and encourage residents to abide by them.

“Kinahanglan natong pangihusgan ang atong mga balaud kay looy na kaayo ang siyudad sa Sugbo,” she says.

In March this year, Luardo’s team started working double time by deputizing environmental officers who can patrol the city’s streets more regularly and apprehend offenders.

Common sense

Lawyer Jade Ponce, chairperson of the city’s Solid Waste Management Board, agrees that awareness of existing laws is necessary but contends everything boils down to common sense.

“With or without the law, whether there is a law or not, it is not just right to do it anywhere,” he says.

“Most people have their own houses. Why not mangihi na lang daan sa ila usa molakaw?” he says.

Ponce said that for a tourism hotspot like Cebu, it is discouraging that many here still spit or urinate in public. It will involve a cultural shift that would generate resistance but Ponce reminded Cebuanos it is a necessary sacrifice not only because of commercial reasons but also because it involves the health of many.

“If we want a better city, we have to make necessary sacrifices. We have to be mindful of our actions and impose discipline among ourselves. Pila ra ang pagpugong sa kaugalingon nga dili mang-luwa ug dili mangihi bisa’g asa,” he said. 

Stiffer penalty?

Luardo says that if she were to decide, she would impose higher penalties to keep residents on their toes.

“If Cebu City aspires to be better just like Singapore, patas-an nato aron mas madisiplina ang mga tawo,” she says.

She also says it might be about time that the city government invests in amenities and infrastructure like additional garbage bins and spit cans in public places such as those in bus terminals in Singapore.

In the absence of these amenities, Luardo advised the public to keep a tissue paper handy, which can be used to spit into.  Luardo also calls on establishments such as restaurants and gasoline stations to make their restrooms accessible for everyone even to non-customers.

 â€œOpen yourself up to the public. Don’t just restrict your facilities to your customers. It’s not that difficult,” she says.

Concerted action

 In the end, both Luardo and Ponce say the best way to address the problem on sanitation – or any problem for that matter – is through unified action.

Ponce says building a sustainable and desirable community needs the strength of government and the discipline of the citizenry.

Luardo says resistance to change is the biggest obstacle her team faces at the moment and she calls on the community to help make change happen. She calls on city officials, even barangay officials, to have the political will to implement rules. Cooperation would simply make the job easier for everyone, she says.

“If the people of Cebu are well-disciplined enough not to spit or urinate in public, once they are well-informed of our environmental laws, we shall make Cebu City an environment-friendly one,” she concludes. — /JMO (FREEMAN)