“The first step in solving a problem is recognizing there is one.” - Will McAvoy (The Newsroom)
With that in front, join me, and let’s take a peek at the most pressing issues and the most reeling concerns of the locals of Barangay Mulawin.
Francisco Homes‑Mulawin is a barangay in the city of San Jose del Monte, in the province of Bulacan. Its population as determined by the 2020 Census was 11,226. This represented 1.72% of the total population of San Jose del Monte. (Francisco Homes-Mulawin, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan Profile – PhilAtlas)
Respondents' Information
AGE
According to the 2015 Census, the age group with the highest population in Francisco Homes-Mulawin is 19 to 24, with 1,281 individuals. The respondents of the survey were picked from that age group.
GENDER
The graph above showed that out of eight respondents, 6 of them are male and two of them are female.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
From the data above, 87.5% of the respondents, or 7 of them are College undergraduates while the remaining 12.5% are the lone college graduate.
PROFESSION
The respondents’ line of work ranges from freelance artist to researchers and librarians. The remaining five of them had no work by the time the research was conducted.
Now, down the line, we go. After conducting the survey, the respondents’ answers can be divided into three categories: Environmental concerns, Safety, and Leadership concerns.
“Problema sa basura at kalinisan,” – Respondent 1
“Baradong drainage/canals,” – Respondent 6
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS. I think if we are to conduct a survey of all the barangays in the country it is one of those answers that will not be left out. It has been that way for ages now. But on the contrary, nothing improves and on the contrary, it seems to be degrading year by year. As I observed, there is still no solid waste management plan for it to be resolved. But one bright spot that I see is that there is a newly implemented Material Recovery Facility (MRF) program in which in every trash that you will be able to properly segregate and dispose of, you will be able to get points and with the right number of it you will be given free rice and other ready-to-eat goods.
“Streetlights in streets, especially those around the corner, are not maintained.” –Respondent 3
“Street Lights. Ang dilim. Then nakakatakot minsan lumabas.” – Respondent 5
“Yung street lights po, pakigawa lahat PLEASE!” – Respondent 7
SAFETY. Mulawin has a lot of narrow streets and most of them have no streetlights which feels unsafe for those who walk alone at night. Yes, there is a barangay patrol at night but it is a stationary post. Improve street lighting will put the locals in a much more comfortable state, knowing that there is a light that will be shed upon the roads that they will walk upon.
“Improvement rin siguro sa online presence ng Facebook Page or any social media outlets na mayroon ang Brgy. natin. Kasi, if wala naman nag-iikot (or baka 'di lang kami nararating hahaha) tapos wala pa gaaanong announcements online, ang hirap malaman ng mga important info.” – Respondent 4
“Ang isyu o problema na napansin ko sa aming barangay ay ang kakulangan nito sa mga youth programs and projects, Hindi tulad sa ibang barangay may nilalaan silang sapat na budget para dito upang mas mapaunlad ang kakayahan ng mga kabataan at mapalayo sa masamang gawain.” – Respondent 8
LEADERSHIP. During this time of the pandemic, in which it is much safer to be at home than to be elsewhere, almost everything became online. Keeping the locals informed and updated is one of the most vital responsibilities of the local government. There is a Facebook page but very minimal online engagement from it. It should be the time when the voice of leadership should be heard the loudest. Moreover, with things slowly getting back to normal, it is the perfect time to maximize the platform and launch projects that will be both beneficial for the students, the citizens, and the barangay itself.
Conclusion:
One thing that I observed among these raised issues is that they are not new. It is the same concern as before, the same problem years ago and it will continue to be that way if there will be no actions taken, both by the citizens and the local government.
Opmerkingen