LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

Environment: Walk the talk
MARCH L FIANZA

After scheduling yearly environment summits that talked about cleaning rivers, or holding events for Mother Earth every time Earth Day comes on April 22, we now wait to see what has come out of those talks.

Earth Day meetings about cleaning up rivers or protecting forests did not match up to Manong Joe Dacawi’s actual walk by the tributary that flowed through Brookside from Gibraltar down to Lucban, sometime after the great 1990 earthquake.

I was not there but I can imagine the lengthy walk. Seeing all what has become of a river will not easily leave one’s memory. The scenes will get stuck in the mind to remind us of what man has done to Mother Earth. All those Earth summits indeed did not match up to Manong Joe’s walk – the real “walk the talk.”

But Mondax’s (Ramon Dacawi for short) school kids tree-planting at Busol every now and then is unrivaled. No wonder it won recognition from a UN agency and has led then Mayor Domogan, ooh… I mean the city to receive an award. What the kids do to Mother Earth is one true “walk thetalk.” For them every day is Earth Day.

Those are genuine acts in environmentalism, not lip service like many other Earth Day summits. The chalk drawings literally painted on the pavement of Session Road on Earth Day last April were excellent works of art that strike a chord whenever one comes across other art works.

If these were permanently painted somewhere, they would have been lasting reminders of Earth Day. Unfortunately, the chalk drawings washed away in the afternoon rain. Meanwhile, the discussions in the Earth Day meetings found their way to newspapers that were stashed away as soon as these were read – just like this column. Awan met lang mangyari… Maybe it’s good to have more summits like that.
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What good does it bring Baguio City if we tell the public that we are “protectors of the environment” but say things contrary to that? Do we have officials who are in the forefront of helping process the issuance of development permits that lead to the destruction of forests?

If yes, then maybe it would be better if we have more of them inside City Hall so that what remains of Baguio’s forest cover will all be gone. Anyway people do not care anymore, as long as the developer-applicant pays the correct price and gives the right amount for election campaign needs.

Remember Jadewell? Sometimes I can not avoid thinking that some migrant business moguls in the city help finance the ouster of their kalabans in order to maintain their interests in the city. This time what are at stake are not our streets, but our environment.

It is publicly known that there are plans to develop the mini-forest between the Philippine Regulatory Commission and Convention Center. The area is owned by the GSIS but there is unclear information that it has already been sold to another private company.

The more than one hectare forest cover supports another mini forest at Camp 8. Both of them are headwaters for the Bued River that starts at Camp 7, therefore they feed the water needs of the pumping station there.

While the cutting of trees should be a concern for all who love Baguio , an issue attached to it is the fact that water users together with the company that manages the public utility should be one in opposing any proposal to cut down the trees.

Just like the Busol Forest , part of it is privately owned as that has been titled by the American government to a private entity. Surprisingly, some persons who claim to be protectors of the environment keep on attacking that issue but seem to allow development over the GSIS forest cover.

Between Busol and the GSIS forest, the only difference we see is money and influence. The owner of the GSIS area has too much of the commodity that the owners of the titled Busol property do not have.

But the attitude of Baguio people should not be passive just because there is enough water that flows in the kitchen, there is rainwater for the toilet bowl and consumers pay their water bills. I have read newspaper mails concerning the Car Plan for Beneco executives. Can we not be equally concerned about what will happen to Baguio if a big building the size of SM City is built on an area where there used to be a forest?

On this space and on behalf of all who are equally opposed to the proposed development over the forest cover beside Convention Center, we appeal for vigilance against the plan to cut the trees. We also appeal for support to legislative measures to be filed by Councilors Fred Bagbagen and Richard Carino, two true and blue Baguio boys, proposing to finally stop any plan to get rid of the forest cover in that area.

Send emails to newspapers. Write to your favorite councilors to fight for the environment. It is time, we, Baguio-Benguet residents come together and “walk the talk.” – marchfianza777@yahoo.com