Introduction
Hello guys! Welcome again to my blog that aims to cover significant issues here in our Barangay Santa Barbara, Baliuag, Bulacan. You know that in my previous blogs, I’ve conducted a survey in ordinary citizens and barangay officials about what are the problems that the community is facing. And based from the result, it shows that the Waste Management is the most common issue experiencing by the respondents, followed by the issue about Peace and Order. Here again the result of my previous survey:
Graph 1: Survey result in ordinary citizen about problems in the community
Table 1: Survey result in Barangay Officials about community issues
From the result of the survey, I’ve decided to pursue the most common issue pick by ordinary citizen and barangay officials which is the problem in Waste Management. And now here we are in my news report that aims to dig deeper with this issue by knowing the perspectives of people involved. I will do my best to keep in the mind their interest while analyzing all the sentiments they provide in order to give solutions that will become one of their options to cure the disease in waste management. So, prepare your minds as we are going to explore the Waste Management dilemma in Barangay Santa Barbara
Barangay Profile
Figure 1: The location of Barangay Santa. Barbara based on Google Maps
Santa Barbara is one of the barangays found in the municipality of Baliuag, in the province of Bulacan (Region 3). Indicated in the 3YR Solid Waste Management Plan, the total population of it in the year 2021 was 13,362 while the household population was 4,439. It covers a total of 1,621,911. 04 land area that is primary used for residential and commercial purposes. According to PhilAtlas, the barangay is located at around 14.9414, 120.8910, in Luzon Island. The elevation based on the coordinates is approximately at 72.5 feet above average sea level or 22.1 meters.
The methodology
In journalism, all news comes from fragments of information that is acquired using different methods. So, I started my plan by creating three sets of closed-ended questions with follow-up questions that is all about waste management-first set is for ordinary citizens, second set will be ask to barangay officials, and third set is for the side of garbage collectors. After that, I proceed to my step two of the plan which is looking for respondents either in barangay office or outside of our house. And in three days of walking and finding, the total number of the respondents that I’ve successfully interviewed was six: two barangay officials, three ordinary citizens, and one garbage collector. I asked their permission if it is okay to record our conversation just for educational purposes only. They also agreed to my request if I can use pictures, documents, and any information on this final report. Now that we done discussing the gathering of information, let us now go to the evaluation part wherein we will know the perspectives of the respondents with regard to the issue of waste management.
P.O.V Number 1: The ordinary citizen
Photo with Mrs. Danalee and Sir Mark
Let's start with the side of the citizens. The first one that I've talked with was Mrs. Danalee Garcia, a 50-year-old barangay health worker. According to her, there is a schedule of collection of garbage on their place and if the waste is not segregated by the owner, the collector will not get it
"Ano...meron kapag Monday kasi yung nabubulok tapos Wednesday yung di-nabubulok tapos Saturday yung mga pwedeng ibenta katulad ng plastic, mga papel, karton ganon. Kapag naman hindi kinukuha, hindi siya segregate, yun naman yung problema…nagiging sama-sama sila yung nabubulok at hindi nabubulok, yun ang problema nga sa tao."
Picture with Sir. Frederick Lozano
This is the same sentiments given by the second respondent named Frederick Lozano, a barangay tanod. He added that the collection of garbage on their place is always updated. If the collector didn't able to collect their garbage, an early reminder is giving on them.
"Bali Miyerkules tyaka Biyernes. Maagap naman eh, maagap naman. Hindi naman nagkakaproblema pagka… updated sila. Pagka di sila makakahakot, nagsasabi sila. Tapos hindi naman namin tinatambak sa labas ng kalsada yung mga basura eh. Basta pagka dumarating sila nagpapatugtog sila kaya alam na alam mo kaagad na basura yung dumarating."
Photo with Mrs. Gladys Anne Blaza
When we check the statement of the two, we can identify that the collection of garbages on their place is organized and updated. But it is not similar in the experience of my third respondent, Mrs. Gladys Anne Blaza, a house wife. Based on her, there is no fixed schedule of garbage collection in their place and the collector is the one who decide when is the time they want to grab their waste. That's why other people putting their waste outside even if the truck is not around that will cause other problems.
"Depende sa magbabasura kung kalian sila kukuha. Sila na magdedesisyon kung kelan sila kukuha. Minsan hindi nila kinukuha yung basura tapos diyan na bumabaho hanggang sa ikalat na ng aso. Kailangan may schedule na sila ng pagkuha ng basura para yung mga tao kung anong schedule nila, makakapaglabas agad. Hindi yung pagka ganyang wala silang schedule, naglalabas ng basura kahit wala pa yung nangongolekta"
If we analyze their experiences, we can understand that not all places in Barangay Santa. Barbara has a fixed schedule in collecting of garbages. Causing them other anomaly when it comes to health and environment.
P.O.V Number 2: The barangay officials
Now that we know the opinion of the citizens about the said issue, let us now hear the side of the decision-makers in the barangay.
Picture with Sir Bryan and Ms. Richie
My first respondent, Mark Bryan Cruz, which is the treasurer of the barangay for 2 years , tell me that they are aware in the barangay with regards to problem of waste management. But he clearly emphasized that the waste collection is not the main problem but dumpsite where the waste is being throw down. Following by the problem in waste segregation.
"Oo, aware tayo dyan hindi lang dito sa barangay kundi sa buong baliwag. Kasi ang problema natin hindi naman sa collection eh, yung babagsakan mismo nung basura. Bukod sa babagsakan syempre yung proper way of segregating, hindi naman na-iimpliment."
On the other hand, barangay secretary Richie Villaroman also testified that everyday there is a report coming from citizen about waste problem in barangay and she think the root cause of it is the segregation process.
"Oo, aware kami dito sa barangay na may problema talaga sa basura rito. Unang-una kasi kaya nagiging problema yan sa segregation, hindi kasi minsan yung iba sumusunod sa segregation. Dapat kasi yung nabubulok at tyaka hindi nabubulok, pinaghihiwalay. Eh may ibang mga kabarangay tayo na hindi sinusunod yon kaya ang nagiging resulta non, hindi nila sinasako. So ang nangyayari non nakaplastic lang sila… inaano nung aso, talagang ikinakalat."
Therefore, from getting their vantage point, we are able to identify two minor factors surrounding the issue of waste management- no proper way of segregation and the dumpsite.
P.O.V Number 3: The garbage collector
Picture together with Mr. Jun Sarmiento
It is blessing in disguise the time that I go outside just to buy food when the garbage truck is collecting waste near in our place. So, I will not loss any chance and quickly go to them and ask for an interview. Luckily, Mr. Jun Sarmiento, a garbage collector for 7 years, lend me a hand and accept the interview session. As he stated, for his long year of collecting waste, the most common problem he was faced is the unsegregated garbages.
"Eh… sabog-sabog ang basura nila, ayaw nilang lalagay sa matinong lalagyan di binubuhol tapos yung plastic eh nabubutas. Tapos yung bulok na pagkain eh hindi hinihiwalay, sama-sama pa rin. Dapat segregation talaga, kahit yung dalawang klase lang-yung nabubulok at hindi nabubulok."
Garbage truck used by Sir Jun and his co-worker
I also ask him if they receive benefits coming from the barangay or munisipyo and his response makes me sad for him. They have no any kinds of benefits and they're not permanent on their job.
"Eh kasi kami… J.O lang kami, kumbaga hindi kami regular. Sa munisipyo kasi kami eh, hindi kami katulad ng permanent. Kumbaga hanggat gusto pa kami nung Mayor, tuloy pa rin kami.Tyaka wala kaming benepisyo."
This experience of Mang Jun makes me realize how difficult their job is, facing bunches or even tons of garbages almost all day, without giving the proper recognition and respect on their job maintaining the cleanliness of each barangay.
The suggested solution
We are here now to the problem-solving phase wherein we give an opportunity for all sides to provide their own remedy to cure the issue of waste management.
Let's start with ordinary citizen.
For Mrs. Danalee Garcia
"Sa mga tao, sundin nila yung alituntunin ng barangay at maging disiplinado sila. Sa barangay naman okay naman wala namang problema, maayos naman. Talagang sa tao lang nagkakaproblema."
From the view point of Sir. Frederick Lozano
"Wala eh hindi natin maaagapan. Pagdating sa basura, nasa tao nalang yan. Kung maayos silang maglagay sa mga tamang basurahan,sinasako nila, eh maaagapan natin kumalat yan. Sa side ng mga barangay officials. Ang pamamalakad sa tao… un lang. Sila bahala na magsabi sa tao kung anong mga dapat gawin. Magtulungan nalang."
According to Mrs. Gladys Anne Blaza
"Bilang mamamayan, hangga’t wala pa siguro yung nangongolekta ng basura wag muna tayo agad-agad maglalabas ng basura natin.Kasi una sa lahat bumabaho tapos pangalawa ikinakalat ng mga aso . Syempre nakakaano rin… sa mga bata… makakapagbigay ng sakit pagka ganong nakakalat. Para naman sa barangay, siguro gawin aksyon nalang nila yung… kumbaga pagtuunan nila ng pansin yung sa basura natin… yung sa pangongolekta ng basura. Mag i-schedule sila para alam din syempre ng mga taga-rito kung kelan maglalabas ng basura."
Now that the citizens are done, let us give the platform to the barangay officials.
Starting from Sir Mark Bryan Cruz
"Unang-una, kailangan implement nila sarili nila... yung disiplina sa pagsesegregate. Kasi sa ating tahanan lang magsisimula yung ano eh…yung maliit na problema na kaya naman solusyunan, gawin na nila para hindi na magsama-sama yung basura, I mean madaling makuha… nakasegregate na yung nabubulok sa di- nabubulok."
From the perspective of Ms. Richie Villaroman
"Sa mga barangay officials… siguro ang maipapayo ko lang dapat makipagtulungan din. Tapos sa mga ka-barangay, i-segregate lang po ang basura."
In addition, Mr. Richie told me that they have a plan called 3YR Solid Waste Management Plan for the year 2022 up to 2024 that focus on solving the issue about waste management by doing different task such as the creation of Barangay Solid Waste Management Committee (BRSWC), adding one more garbage trucks in the barangay, and continuing the construction of Material Recovery Facility or MRF.
Screenshot of 3YR Solid Waste Management Plan in Brgy. Sta.Barbara
Lastly the side of Sir Jun Sarmiento as a garbage collector.
"Dapat yung mga nabubulok mga tira-tirang pagkain, pakain nila sa hayop, sinasama pa nila sa basura, para makabawas. Tyaka… hihintayin nila yung truck ng basura bago nila ilabas yung basura nila, kasi wala pa yung truck ng basura nilalabas na nila eh…kaya ayun kinakalat ng aso tyaka yung mga tao na ngangalakal, binubuksan yung mga basura nila."
In a nutshell...
By evaluating all the suggested solutions provided by each respondents. The two things that we need to be focus on in order to solve the problem in waste management is the cooperation and discipline. Discipline in the side of citizens everytime they are giving their waste in garbage collector. a proper way of segregation must apply all the time to make sure that their garbage is accepted and make the work smooth and easy. In barangay officials, they need to cooperate with one another and implement all the policies with regards to proper waste management, they need to make sure that all of the places in the barangay will be aware of that rules and regulations. By doing this steps, we, as a community, has a higher chance to remedy this disease in the future.
Comments