One litter a day keeps the water flow gray.
Every day as we walk past the canals of Cebu City, there comes this habit where we cover our noses to block out the overwhelming stench of garbage piling up in the waters. It’s a harsh reminder that the city has never changed its filthy morale for the past years we lived here. These canals are an eyesore, both figurative and literally—a smell so intense it brings actual tears to our eyes. The water that we used to remember was clear and can see the bottom has now become a gray, thick pile of raw sewage from the residue of all the spoiled plastics citizens indifferently threw away.
Stop Blaming the Government!
Who else is to blame for this environmental issue but us citizens? The government’s job is to keep its fellow citizens well-mannered. That’s why there are laws, rules and regulations, except none seems to be following. With their littering, combined with poor waste management and negligence. Moreover, cleaning services are rarely available, which only worsens the condition of the canals.
It’s a hornets’ nest for the residents living near the canals. It isn’t just an irritating sight and smell; it’s also a serious health hazard. Mosquitoes breed in those stagnant waters, raising the risk of dengue diseases. On top of that, rats primarily swim there too. Definitely not the best idea to dip our foot or any part of our body in the water from the risk of rodent-borne viruses. They always find ways to enter our bloodstream. It’s far from safe for anyone to expose themselves to these polluted waters.
Harsh Words Can Sometimes Be True
If a tourist called our country one of the dirtiest in the world, would you be offended? Most of us would be, and not because it’s a harsh insult, but because there’s truth to it—truth we’d rather not face. Instead of arguing with someone for pointing it out, shouldn’t we focus on fixing the problem? Those harsh words sting because they highlight our inaction. Let’s face it, it’s not the criticism that’s the issue; it’s that we’ve given them reason to say it.
Tourists visit our country to adapt and discover new surroundings. Not only that, but also to interact with new people, embrace unfamiliar adventures, and create lasting memories. Instead of creating those enriching memories they’re expecting, they stumble upon harsh, eyesore memories of how irresponsible we are to the environment. They want to see something splendor, not squalor.
A Change of Habit Would Suffice
How can we impress tourists with what a wonderful world we have? It’s time for action. Sources say that the University of San Carlos has taken a bold step by banning all plastics in their cafeterias—plastic cups, spoons, forks, or bottles allowed. Students aren’t even allowed to bring plastic bottles onto school premises. Contributions like this can significantly minimize the population of plastics. Other organizations should follow their initiative—the more that join, the better the impact.
Our Garbage, Our Responsibility!
With enough responsible individuals, try changing your waste disposal habit for a change. Take your trash out to a proper bin. And with enough responsible citizens in Cebu, a cleanup initiative could save our canals. Don’t just wait for the government to hire a cleanup crew, take the opportunity to do it yourselves. It may not be our garbage, but it’s still our planet. We are independent beings—let’s live up to that name.
An Idea Comes to Mind
The primary root of this issue is people throwing away their garbage in canals simply because it’s the closest dumping area they could find. To address it, proper waste disposal units should be installed along the canal’s path to prevent further littering. Who would throw at the canals when they see waste disposals nearby? If that’s not enough, they’re just one irresponsible citizen who lacks proper discipline.
This is more than just cleaning our canals, it’s about reclaiming the pride of our community. By coming together to care for our home, we can restore Cebu’s reputation as one of the best tourists’ destinations the world has ever seen.
