Why can't we deal effectively with basura?

Councilor Nida Cabrera has been posting photos of her recent laudable waste management campaigns and events. A number of our Japanese students also chose to discuss about the waste situation in the Philippines in several of my classes here at Toyo University. News reports have also mentioned waste as a major problem related to recent floods.

Shall we all try again to tackle this very important issue of waste management together? Hopefully, this time around, all of us will work together to deal effectively with waste in our midst.

You do see the waste around you, don't you? You do agree that waste comes from the hands of those who dispose of these, don't you?

Why do you think it is difficult for people to properly dispose of their own waste?

Let us make that more specific. Why do you think it is very difficult for Filipinos to deal with basura, including their own basura?

Why do we instead see so much waste almost everywhere, in the streets, inside public vehicles, inside public theaters, even inside schools and church premises?

Do you think the problem is the lack of public waste containers or the lack of proper waste collection systems?

Or do you think the solution is promoting more awareness and inculcating the proper values among our people about responsible and effective management of waste?

Who do you think should solve the problem of waste where you are? Others, the government, or do you also see yourself as contributing your share for the solution of this problem?

We are certainly proud to be Filipinos but this is one issue we are not proud about. When and how can we deal with this continuing problem of waste?

Japanese students shared that they are conscious about waste segregation and proper waste disposal because they learned to do this early, in their homes, in their schools, in their communities. Everyone is doing their share, everyone is coordinating to properly dispose of waste wherever they are. As a result, Japan is considered one of the cleanest places in the world.

Waste management is everyone's concern and everyone's responsibility. One's improper waste management will adversely affect others.

Multiply waste that comes from one tiny hand by millions of hands. Multiply unsegregated waste by millions of hands that dispose these. Waste from the hands of millions of Filipinos end up in dirty, smelly, dangerous dumpsites.

God created the world and He was pleased with His creation. Humans irresponsibly throw their waste and lo and behold, human hands create mountains of waste!

All over the country, these human created dumpsites are in every town and city. Year in and year out, the waste volume piles up. Hectares of land are wasted, unable to produce crops, unable to provide homes. Precious land becomes the degraded home for human waste. While millions of people cannot be provided homes and lands, governments have provided hectares of lands for waste disposed by people. While public funds for welfare and service are lacking, ironically, a significant amount of government budget always ends up wasted in waste, to take care of waste, to pay for imported garbage trucks, for expensive gasoline, for salaries for drivers, waste collectors, and more.

What do you think should we do together to deal effectively with waste? We also need to have effective coordination to responsibly deal with waste in our midst.

Schools, for example, may effectively segregate waste inside their premises but truck collectors may not practice waste segregation during collection. Churches and religious groups have yet to join this crusade vs. waste, to keep God's creations clean and sustainable. Media can also intensify the reminders for all to responsibly take care of their own waste.

All will have to be encouraged to join this movement to effectively deal with basura. How do we start and when shall we, personally and collectively, finally commit to solving this problem of basura?

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