Because of that provision in the Philippine Constitution that there should be separation of the Church and State, it seems that some sectors - local officials- have viewed their powers as "infallible" as the pope. They think that they are equal to the priests who have moral clout and economic but not political power. In fact, they view themselves as even higher than the priests. This is why they act like kings and queens with territories of their own to govern.
I met a barangay official after I reported to the police the sighting of a family burning firewood inside a cave on a hill of a Manila locality. I told the police that the culprits are violating the right of the people to breathe fresh air.
By the way, I had to make this initiative because the community volunteers I was dealing with were so afraid to act on the matter. So I called up through my celfone 117, the hotline of the Department of Interior and Local Government.
The week past, I had a debate with a barangay tanod over the same problem. "E wala ho tayong magagawa. Mahirap lang sila at kailangan nilang mabuhay. Kung hindi sila magsusunog, wala silang kita, wala silang kakainin."
"Bakit kailangang magsunog ng kable para makakuha ng tanso? (But why that particular business -- of burning to get "tanso?" I asked?
"E yun ho ang gusto nila."
"Aba, nagnenegosyo sila at our expense. (Oops, Ingles yun, I had to shift gears) Nagnenegosyo sila habang sinisira naman nila ang kapaligiran at niyuyurakan nila ang karapatan nating makahinga ng malinis na hangin."
"E wala ho tayong magagawa ( he repeated this ad nauseam)."
"Ang daming taong mahihirap, nagnenegosyo ng marangal -- nagtitinda ng dyaryo, ng gulay, hindi nakakaperhuwisyo," I insisted.
But this official seemed bent on protecting the violator of that environmental ordinance on no burning in the community. So the following week, when I saw that it was going on again, I decided to call the police because the barangay could no longer act on the problem.
Suddenly, when the police came, three of them, all the high officials of the barangay came, and the last, the barangay captain himself who looked angry because the police came without his knowledge. Perhaps he was thinking, "This place is my territory, hence anything occurring there should be made known to me prior to any major action of calling other authorities.Who is this woman who has the temerity to call the police?"
Luckily, the police sided with my contention that there should not be any type of such activity in the area. In fact, they even made sure that water was poured over the live coals being burnt.
After another week, I came back and found the air clean. But the community volunteers looked eerily at me. They said that they felt fear when the police came.
"Ano? Bakit kayo matatakot? Mabuti nga nagtatrabaho sila sa halip na paupu-upo lang sa estasyon. Hindi ako natatakot sa mga pulis. Matutuwa pa silang umalis ng estasyon para lumiit ang mga tiyan nila." And we all had a good laugh. After that, we were able to continue our vocal rehearsals of Christmas and folk songs for the celebration of the season that we were about to hold in a matter of days. You see folks, the women singers had great difficulty singing because of the soot, and so I had to act on the matter pronto.
Now I can imagine the people of Bayug feeling so afraid that any time Mother Nature could ravage their land which really happened. But the attitude of their local officials could have made them more afraid to raise the issue lest revenge be exacted against them. The amor propio of barangay officials is very sensitive to criticism, and more than 80% that I have met, have that aberrant attitude similar to a "casique," an aristocratic bent as if he or she owns the people and the resources of the barangay.
Hence, if there should be any change at all, I do think that the Department of Interior and Local Government must institute measures so that the people's voice will also be heard and not just that of the barangay officials'. For example, a sign at the local hall should include a notice: "Are you satisfied with the performance of your barangay? If so or if not, please do not hesitate to report to this number ----- Secretary of DILG number ---. Anonymous reports shall be entertained."
Then the DILG must have troubleshooting teams which will attend with dispatch on the complaints of the people.
With regard to those illegal loggers, I propose also that all countries importing logs of the Philippines should desist from this trading activity. We must curb the demands for Philippine wood until such time that we have a surplus that we can really let go of.
Those importing countries have as much participation in the disaster as those local officials who became negligent, or witting or unwitting accomplices to the denudation of our forests.
After all we are all earthlings. We need to take care of Mother Earth, not just of one part but all of her -- all of the people, the air, land, and sea.
So next time we think or act on development issues, we must always think, not of statistics, not only of ourselves, but of Mother Earth and the many, many generations to come.
A Soulful Merry Christmas to all of you.
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