Dumaguete City Clean-up - Environment Month

Thank You

I would like to say thank you to Dave, John, Jim and Maria and their workers for joining us this morning. Was it a great success? No. Did we make an impact? Maybe. Getting eight people together to help out with a City-wide clean-up doesn't make much of a statement while hundreds of other expats are just sitting on their lazy butts complaining about how dirty the city is. However, we made 3 Barangay Captains aware that we would appreciate a cleaner city (Barangay 4 -the Blvd, Piapi - the area in front and North of Hayahay, and Daro - Silliman beach). Dumaguete ENRO Office is obviously aware of our desire and input and they mentioned it to the Governor at a meeting last week so , at least, the word got out.

Several local people asked us what we were doing and why, then some joined us grabbing bags and picking up trash with us. Others picked up the trash around them on the beach and came over and put it in our bags. One young girl was finishing a bag of chips near where we had just passed, then looked around, not knowing where to put the empty bag and too shy to throw it on the beach that we just cleaned. She gave it to her father who also looked around and finally came over and put it in one of our trash bags.

Maybe if we had gotten fifty or more expats with their partners and neighbors and joined in with the various organizations (especially school groups like Silliman, Foundation University, Holy Cross, and St. Pauls) that I saw out cleaning this morning, we could have made a much greater impact. Nobody can expect these things to change overnight but if we all make a small effort, they will eventually change. If you want a clean city, then clean it! If you just want to sit around and complain about it, please do it quietly so as not to embarrass yourself or the others around you that do care.

Once again, thank you to those that did show up. I hope more of you will come out next time.

 

SteveB, thanks to you and all the group that volunteered and participated in the task. Well done....

 

Steve, am glad you acknowledge some are to lazy, not all. Some of us are to busy and yes I do complain about the trash. BUT I am one of the ones who cleans the road and the empty lots near me on a regular basis. Mow the grass along the road, pull weeds from others unused lots near me. Last week I shoveled 2 truck loads of dirt from another lot we have and dumped it in a washed out road crossing , storm damage. Its been six months and the city hasnt fixed it still. I am only one of so many that uses it, but am the only one that took time to repair it. I intentionally pick up trash in front of people that just has thrown it down and find a place to dispose it properly. Just to let that person see what he or she is doing and some care. Think you have been to focused on the ones who complain and not help to give any credit to those that were busy and of other things besides making a statement. Some I see do clean and contribute in their own way.

 

Hi Charlie, I didn't go back to the beach or Blvd on Sunday. I live in Valencia. However, I am sure it was just as dirty as the day before. It will obviously take a long time to change an entire culture, just as it did in our own coutries, but I still believe that it has to start somewhere and every little bit helps. If there had been foreigners out all over the city that day, picking up trash, it may have opened many eyes to the situation and even embarrassed some of the people that are throwing garbage in the streets. Maybe next time???

Robgie, you are right, and I apologize. My intention was not to insult everyone or anyone, for that matter. I know many people do lots of things that don't get seen. I was simply trying to show that we can do more than simply complaining about the problems around us.

 

Yeah Steve I know your really not that type of guy, insulting. I see all the good work you have been doing for years now, contributing your time, labor and some $ along the way. One of the good guys . No apology expected or needed.

 

Embarrassment is not an emotion felt here. Neither is shame....

 

Clean and Burn!

I am like others here who do not like cleaning up garbage left behind by others. Is it too much to have the mayor buy garbage cans etc., to put garbage into. WTF! Where are the garbage cans on the streets? Maybe clean up all the garbage and then dump it on his property! On the other hand haul it off to the city dump. Have any of you ever been there? Constant burning of garbage! Garbage pickers taking stuff and washing it in small river that passes by there. Not to mention the leeching that must be seeping into the river! Now the city is implicating a no smoking law!

What a joke!

MRF for barangay’s garbage - News around Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental, Philippines | The Negros Chronicle

Yet if this can foster change then I am all for it.

View attachment 8732

View attachment 8733

 

Regarding that girl on the beach and where to toss her garbage. Will you always be there to hold out a garbage bag? I think it would be more appropriate if you got donations from foreigners to supply or donate various garbage cans around the downtown area. Have some shop owners donate some with ... KEEP DUMAGUETE CITY CLEAN --Donated by Lee Plaza, McDonalds and so on. Please don't try to embarrass others because of your beliefs. We all have our reasons why we do not want to participate...no not try to embarrass into seeing things the way you!

 

Count me in

Well, someone has to start so I will Steve B. I am free thinking enough that if others do not want to set a better example or prefer to set a bad example that is their business choice. My choice is to try to have a better environment here even without the help of the local government. Keep us that want to try to make an improvement here (I do reserve my right to complain) informed so I can help..