Anti-burning law
Iam writing about this law, also known as Republic Act (RA) 9003, not because I am averse to it but because I simply want to clear doubts in my mind, and I am sure in the minds of many, whether or not this law was crafted with utter reasonableness and fairness for all concerned.
This has to do, of course, with the harsh penalty awaiting people found violating the said law: imprisonment of one to 15 days and a corresponding fine of P300 to P1000.
For people that are irresponsibly using their backyard to incinerate dump, meaning burn garbage of all kinds and in the process emit smoke and obnoxious smell that tend to inconvenience the neighbors or the community as a whole--by all means implement the law to the fullest. Implement it on abusive persons showing disrespect and disregard for other people’s well being.
But for the many who have been religiously following the local government’s admonition about the importance of solid waste segregation and patiently looking forward to timely scheduled collections and even have a small space in the yard for composting, yet burns scraps of paper and some fallen leaves every now and then for a few minutes so that the smoke will drive pesky fruit tree insects away, is it reasonable and fair that the penalty still apply to them?
So I understand that burning a pot full of dried leaves every now and then still generates smoke that is bad for the health and the environment, but why are the ubiquitous outdoor barbecue grills exempted from the anti-burning law when these popular and much sought-after style of cooking food equally generates smoke and pollutes the air?
The practice is even worse because, while in the garden one tends to move around skirting the smoke, in the outdoor the smoke from grilled eateries is all over the place so one can’t avoid being exposed to it.
Drippings of fat produce that taste-inducing flavor, but the smoky smell that contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) not only sticks to ones clothes, skin and hair and its toxic property can also damage the lungs.
Therefore, unless and until the government authority tasked to monitor and implement the anti-burning law is able to publicly issue an explanation or justification as to why any smoky barbecue joint is exempted, then RA 9003 shall always be deemed as selective, unreasonable and unfair. At best, it should be rescinded and subjected to review.--Jesus Sievert
DPWH’s work
Here in northern Cebu, I have noticed the signs put up by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) that shows its project with its cost and the time alotted to finish it. But why are most of the projects not completed?
We in the Philippines have a President that really wants improvements, thus his “Build, Build, Build” program but I don’t think he meant to build fourthclass roads and sidewalks.
We have no uniformity in our curbs, which is only plastered concrete, and our sidewalks are like waves in the ocean. We Filipinos should be a proud people and should show it in our workmanship.--Alfredo Acopan