Sta. Lucia Paguiaba is one of Masantol's happiest barangay. People tend to be close as it is only a small place. However, it is not a quiet area because of the large population. Generally, the Barangay is a lively yet noisy community.
I had the opportunity to interview two of our Barangay officials: an SK Chairwoman and a Barangay Kagawad, to figure out what problems they noticed in our Barangay. I've had difficulty getting in touch with some locals since they are usually quite busy. Thankfully, the SK Chairwoman and one of our Barangay Kagawad have agreed to an interview.
Flooding is still the most prevalent issue I obtain from them. Flooding that has been a problem for a long time. Flooding that is still unresolved. Flooding that had impacted the lives of many Paguiaba residents. Flooding is a burden that people are still hoping to be addressed.
The Barangay Paguiaba was known for being vibrant, despite its messiness. Many people used to live here, but that is no longer now because of the situation in the Barangay. They choose to reside in other Barangay, in and outside the town, because as floodwaters worsen, their hopes for it to be resolved are slowly fading.
Flooding has resulted in the loss of many jobs, which is one of the most severe effects. During high tide, several pedicab drivers were unable to peddle their vehicles. This is concerning since many pedicab drivers in the Barangay are currently unemployed. If they want to take a risk, they will have to face the dangers of pedaling at high tide and on damaged roadways.
Another effect is on the students. As for myself, I've had to deal with the challenge of coming to school and battling the flood every day. It is dangerous and challenging due to the chance of slipping on the road affecting my school materials. We are slowly returning to the old normal, and there are now schools in our municipality that conduct face-to-face learning, which will result in flooding continuing to be a problem.
Officials planned to take even just small steps to solve the problem. They believe that once this issue is fixed, many former residents will return, the old energy will come back, opportunities for pedicab drivers will increase again, and children will no longer have to suffer battling floods daily.
Comments