I remember two national campaigns that were popular when I was a kid. One was the Smokey the Bear “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires” and the other was the anti littering campaign “Every Litter Bit Hurts”, among other themes from Keep America Beautiful. Possibly it was my impressionable age, but those have always stuck with me. Particularly being a litterbug. It really bothers me.
There isn’t the same feeling of guilt displayed here for littering. No, it’s common place and as far as one can tell there is no thought given it whatsoever. Trash is thrown anywhere and everywhere. That’s not to say that some of it doesn’t get cleaned up. I think in many cases here in Davao, in particular areas, they do a decent job of cleaning up the trash (basura).
I often hear of the pride the Filipinos have for their country. I don’t see it, not when it comes to the way they treat the country. Not in terms of things like littering. No, I think they confuse pride for their countrymen, with pride for their country. And to be honest that pride for their countrymen usually is extended to celebrities only. Boxers, beauty pageant contestants, and/or “Idol” contestants for example. Others are not worthy of pride, but often jealously instead. It’s upsetting, at least to me, to have someone tell you have much they love their country, while throwing their pop can into the ditch.
I don’t know why there is the rampant littering, the lack of concern. Maybe the campaigns in America helped (I’m not suggesting there is no littering there) raise awareness enough for some to care. Maybe that’s what it would take here, someone like Davao’s Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to back a campaign. He’s been mostly successful in other areas, such as the anti smoking ordinance and the new speed limit law. And there are few that will argue that Davao is considered one of the safest cities in the Philippines, whether you agree with the alleged methods or not. No, maybe that’s all it would take, an effort to claim Davao as “Philippine’s Cleanest City.”
There is scheduled trash pickup in most areas now. Many don’t take advantage of it, because there is a cost involved. P50 is our monthly fee. Some of those that don’t use the service burn their trash instead. I don’t know that I feel that’s any better, but that’s another topic. Having more trash bins (basurahan) around would certainly help. It can be quite difficult to find a place to throw garbage, even at some of the malls. If you want people to dispose of trash properly, you’ll need to go the next step and give them a place to do so.
So what do you think? Why is littering such and issue here?
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Apr 04, 2014 @ 20:04:58
I cant speak very much about Davao, as I have spent very limited time there. I have spent much more time in Cebu, Tago and in some rural areas. For me, one my first visit there one of the things that I noticed the most was how clean most streets were. It seems that many there make it a daily habit to go around late in the day and pick-up all the yard debris and other litter and burn it daily. The smoke from all those fires are a huge headache to me though (literally) . Driving outside the city of Cebu, on a evening, with no wind, the smoke is quite thick from everyone burning green coconut and banana leaves. I did notice that some vacant lots were used as dumping sites, but the same thing happens here in the US also. I live in the country, in Va. and we do pay for people to pick-up litter here, but they only do it once a year it seems. Here the ones that I see doing most all the littering is always teenagers. Maybe different areas, have different degrees of littering problems, dont know.
Apr 04, 2014 @ 20:32:09
I have to agree that many, not all, are regularly cleaning around their homes where I live.
The littering is done just about any public place and along highways.
Also as you noted, if there is an empty lot many will take advantage to dump their waste there. Whether those signs that are put up after it has started have any effect or not, I can’t tell.
The burning a real health hazard IMO. Not to mention the possibility of burning unintended down.
Apr 04, 2014 @ 21:35:50
We rented a boat once on Mindoro they took us to this perfect little secluded cove which we had for the day to ourselves. We had taken the family made it a family picnic. All was nice when the boat came back there was all our garbage all over the place, the family just said leave it, I picked it all up for a example for them. I think their attitude was its ok tide will clean it up
But on another occasion at the mall I have bought some little snack ate and had the packaging in my hand to throw away. I watched and watched for a garbage can, ended up throwing it away went we got back to the hotel. I guess business doesnt put out garbage cans because then would cost money to empty them
At another place in a old subdivision not quite a slum but on its way the people just hauled their trash to the end of this street dumped it on the growing ever eternal pile of trash
Apr 05, 2014 @ 06:36:33
The malls are particularly frustrating. With a lot of searching I have found some small garbage cans at some of them. Seems to me they extend the duties of the moppers to go around and empty a few trash cans now and then. They usually have clean up in the food court area, so sometimes I just leave my garbage there even if I’m not eating in that area.