EDITORIAL – Dirty celebration

With Metro Manila dotted with air-conditioned shopping malls that also serve as entertainment centers, the crowds have thinned in Manila’s Rizal Park. But large crowds continue visiting the park during two occasions: Christmas and New Year’s.

Last Christmas was no different. The crowds began arriving on Christmas Eve, thinning out only late on Christmas Day as a light and water show provided evening entertainment.

And as in previous years, the crowds left behind them tons of garbage. Park officials reported hauling 10 truckloads of trash from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. alone on Dec. 26. The problem is sure to be worse during the New Year’s Eve revelry, when fireworks debris is added to the mountain of trash.

Why do Christmas celebrations have to produce huge piles of garbage? One reason is the inadequacy of garbage disposal facilities in many public areas. If there is no garbage bin nearby, the temptation is greater for people to get rid of soft drink cans and used tissue paper indiscriminately, or toss a half-eaten sandwich, including the wrapper, to a stray dog.

Responsibility for garbage disposal, however, is not the government’s alone. Public attitude toward cleanliness plays a crucial role in keeping surroundings clean. The nation’s best travel destinations are those where residents take it upon themselves to keep their neighborhoods clean. The cleanest communities are those where the government efficiently delivers garbage collection and disposal services, and where residents understand that proper garbage disposal is in their own best interest.

In several areas, indiscriminate garbage disposal can lead to destruction of property and even loss of lives. Drainage systems clogged by garbage lead to torrential floods that wash away informal settlements and claim lives, particularly along riverbanks.

Improper waste disposal also spawns health problems, contaminating water supplies and providing rich breeding grounds for disease-carrying mosquitoes. Filthy habits can be changed, and local governments can do more to encourage proper waste disposal.