The residents of Victory Village, Legazpi City have not been victorious in battling their problems on solid waste disposal despite the presence of the Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
This act enforces the segregation of wastes at source, segregated collection, storage, transfer, processing, treatment and disposal of solid waste. It emphasizes waste as a resource through the principles of Reduction, Reuse, and Recovery as means of minimizing and eventually managing solid wastes.
Victory Village is located along the coastal areas of Legazpi City situated near the city port, with a population of 5,680—living in houses with posts half submerged to the flowing water.
Edwina Villanueva, 54, resident of Victory since 1977 claimed that, before, there are only few households living in the area, until many family settled as years passed by. These families were from Rapu-Rapu Island and Manito Legazpi City.
“Kadakol pang kahoy digdi kato, pero ang irarum tubig na talaga ta sapa iyan,” [ There were trees surrounding the area before, but the houses were already built with its posts submerged in water]
Waste Problem
“Some residents are responsible enough to dispose their garbage properly while others just don’t mind throwing anywhere they want,” said Antonio Loberiza—Barangay Captain of Victory Village.
Few residents put their garbage on sacks and plastic bags to be deposited on the assigned drop-off area along the road going to Embarcadero.
Loberiza said it is only temporary because the Barangay Council and the City Environment and Natural Resources Office are still looking for a more suitable place.
According to Mrs. Salve Corral, City ENR officer, a garbage truck collects the wastes as eearly as 5 o’clock in the morning and another in the afternoon as late as 8 o’clock. She added that garbage cannot be collected at times trucks when garbage trucks are malfunctioning.
Meanwhile, Helen Cardil, 52, resident of Victory Village deposits their wastes on the drop-off area as early as 3 o’clock at dawn, before visitors from embarcadero do their morning walk and jog.
“ Maliban sa nakakahiyang mag-iwan ng basura, nagagalit ang Embarcadero kapag namamaho yung mga basura diyan,” [ it is not only embarrassing to leave garbage there , the Embarcadero Officials also get annoyed when it diffuses smell.]
Cardil added only few residents segregate their wastes and properly put their garbage on the drop-off area.
On the other hand, Crisanta Leron, 27, resident of the village complained that no one collects their garbage right from their houses. She disclosed she pays children to deposit the garbage on the temporary drop-off area and not bothering of segregating the bio-degradable, non-biodegradable and the recyclables.
Furthermore, she added that the cleaning project of the barangay during the first Sunday and last Sunday of the month is not enough. She demanded that it must be done everyday.
Loberiza, however, explained that wastes from the upper part of the river coming from Bgy. Lapu-Lapu, Dap-Dap and other neighboring barangays flow on them and they cannot maintain their area clean if other barangays are not cooperating.
Beyond Waste Problem
Living with the pile of garbage on sight seemed to have become a part of a normal life in Victory. Children playing on narrow paths without worrying to fall on the waste-laden river flowing underneath. People prefer to chat with neighbors and sit on their houses than try to clean to lessen the wastes.
While consumers are busy choosing newly caught fish in the market of Victory, residents from San Roque are busy catching fish that might still be wandering. Some uses fishing lines while others practically dive and chase the swimming trout on the wastes-laden river.
According to Eden Apinado, 42, and spent almost 20 years in selling fish in the market of Victory, said that fish caught on the river were being fed to hogs and that they usually do it only for fun.
Fish being sold on the market were from Rapu-Rapu Island and Manito, Legazpi City—ranging from Yellow-fin Tuna, Lapu-Lapu and other smaller fish.
Meanwhile, Don Cedeño, 37, said that wastes from the fish like intestines, scales and gills were also being fed to hogs since he has small piggery on his backyard; while the leftovers were being thrown to the river.
Pending Solutions
City ENR Officer Corral said that the full implementation of the ‘No Segregation. No Collection Policy’ will be effective on May this coming summer after they had already distributed the all the donated solid waste collecting equipment on all the barangays of Legazpi City.
She added that there are 27 units allotted for Victory Village; however they cannot give it now because they are still looking for permanent drop-off area. For the meantime, their garbage is being collected by a roving garbage truck.
Meanwhile, Captain Loberiza said the barangay council appointed eco-aides on every part of the village to collect wastes and initiate segregation of garbage.
He also added that they conduct cleaning activities during the first and last Sunday of the month.
Furthermore, the City ENRO and the barangay council tried to use fishing nets to filter the wastes that are flowing from the upper part of the river to prevent from entering their boundary; however it was not successful due to lack of cooperation of the neighboring communities.
New Perspective
New perspective on cleanliness and discipline must be brought forth to the residents of Victory Village; sense of social responsibility must be put on the minds of the residents not only to the old people but especially to the young minds.
According to Mr. Nilo Berjuega, principal of Victory Village Elementary School, they are doing their best to educate their students on proper waste disposal, cleanliness and discipline.
He added that it is systematically integrated on all of the subjects not only on Values Education. They also said that they conduct character building activity emphasizing the importance of discipline.
There are non-government organizations that conduct feeding programs and conducted seminar for the residents of Victory Village. He added that next week, there will be a check up to be administered to the students.
Lastly, he said that it is very important to have a sound body before one can have a sound mind to cope on the problems and trials around him; and they are trying to inculcate them on the minds of their students.
