Last Saturday was the birthday of Pert Toga, Editor-in-Chief of this newspaper. I wish him continued happiness and success! A week ago, I cheered all the City Councilors of Bacolod for passing an ordinance banning plastic bags and Styrofoam. I even said they had political will. And what do I get in return? Seven of them made a fool out of me. Like a Venus Raj who couldn’t win, the ordinance, in the end, was not passed. So, why did I write that column in anticipation of an outcome that wouldn’t be? Sit down, take 2mg. Lacipil and I’ll tell you why. A week earlier, on March 15, the City Council held the fifth 2nd reading of the ordinance. The 2nd reading is where councilors discuss the merits and demerits of a proposed ordinance and there could be many 2nd readings. After answering all questions through five (not one or two, but five!) 2nd readings, author Councilor Em Ang proposed to send the ordinance to 3rd reading for approval. Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson asked the councilors if anyone had objections. NO ONE RAISED AN OBJECTION. On that display of unanimity, the ordinance was sent to 3rd reading. That’s when I wrote my ill-fated column. But when the day of the 3rd reading came, March 23, four councilors suddenly voted NO and three ABSTAINED, effectively killing the ordinance. THEY DON’T GET IT, DO THEY? In the wake of the tragic vote, some of the seven councilors tried to explain why they derailed the ordinance. The excuses ranged from the legitimate to the ridiculous. Regardless, having excuses is not the point. Everyone is entitled to them. Everyone has the right to object. It is HOW that objection is expressed that spells the difference between being sincere and being malicious. The seven councilors could have chosen to be sincere. They could have raised their objections on 2nd reading and we could have held more 2nd readings until everybody is enlightened. Instead, they deliberately withheld their objections, sent the ordinance to 3rd reading and there, lying in wait, they ambushed it. Murder most foul! They could have used an ordinary bullet, but they shot it down with a hollow-point. They could have cut the wrist, but they went for the jugular. They could have gone to another 2nd reading, but they had to set us back six long months by voting down the ordinance on 3rd reading. Councilor Em Ang worked for six months on the ordinance. Because of that, even if she re-files it today, we could see another six months go by before the ordinance is passed. And that is the point that I lament with stabbing pain. You see, Ondoy happened in just one day and these seven councilors, by their votes, appear to assume that nothing will happen in six months. Beware what assuming can do to you and me. HOW THE COUNCILORS VOTED: Those who voted NO to the ordinance were Councilors Sonya Verdeflor, Elmer Sy, Catalino Alisbo and El Cid Familiaran. Those who ABSTAINED were Councilors Archie Baribar, Carlo Lopez and Dindo Ramos. As the tally revealed, any one of these seven, voting yes, could have caused a draw, which would then push Vice Mayor Sayson to cast a tie-breaker. But since the Vice Mayor is a known supporter of the ordinance, the seven stood pat on their votes. Therefore, all seven councilors are equally culpable for thumbing down the ordinance. And each time Bacolod is flooded because plastic bags clog our waterways, all of them will be remembered. That’s not the worst of it. God forbid somebody drowns in the flood water, or is stricken with leptospirosis. There are five councilors who should be congratulated for standing firm against plastic bags and Styrofoam. Those who voted YES to the ordinance were Caesar Distrito, Al Victor Espino, Homer Bais, Mona Dia Jardin and Em Ang. By their committee chairmanships, these councilors are in the best position to say whether or not this ordinance is needed. Councilor Espino chairs the Environment Committee, so who better to know the calamitous situation of our environment than he? Councilor Distrito chairs the Markets and Slaughterhouse Committee, a constituency that contributes substantial plastic bag and Styrofoam garbage. He also chairs the Committee on Laws and Ordinances, which assures me that the ordinance is structurally sound and in sync with the times? Councilor Bais, meanwhile, chairs the Tourism Committee, so no one can be more concerned that this city is kept clean to the tourists’ palate. Councilor Bais also chairs the Education Committee and since education is central to the success of a garbage management program, his access to educators is vital. Councilor Jardin, as President of the Association of Barangay Captains, chairs the Barangay Affairs Committee and Republic Act 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000) clearly assigns to barangays the responsibility of segregating garbage. Moreover, Councilor Jardin is the Barangay Captain of Brgy. Felisa, the host of our city’s open dump and future sanitary landfill. I take Councilor Jardin’s affirmative vote as a plea to her fellow councilors that the city must be more mindful of how garbage is managed, otherwise her home barangay will suffer. Don’t the seven councilors care about the people of Felisa? Councilor Ang, the author of the ordinance, chairs the Social Services Committee and giving citizens a clean and healthy society is a fundamental service that must be delivered for fear of disease, displacement due to disaster and death. Councilor Ang also chairs the Committee on Gender and Development and time and again, barangay women’s groups have proven themselves the best program implementers. So, how could the seven councilors not realize that the five who voted YES represented key stakeholders? It’s as if, from the very start, the seven councilors were intent on blasting the ordinance, come hell or high flood water. Which leads me to this observation: All the councilors who voted for the ordinance ran in the party of Mayor Bing Leonardia in 2010. This tells me, the ordinance had the blessings of the Mayor, thank you very much indeed. But can we not, just this once, put personal interest aside, put political affiliation aside and work together as one, for the sake of the environment and our children’s future home? By Alan S. Gensoli Negros Daily Bulletin
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