Remember what St. Francis of Assisi said: Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.
In the wake of budget cuts, rising costs, population increase, and low revenues, scarce resources are a fact of life.
The question for many citizens has become, “How do we move forward from here most effectively to improve the quality of community life? What is more important: environment or security?”
By environment, the problem of the site in Candau-ay comes into focus. This problem is not new; it took many years to accumulate the mountain of waste, was declared a hazard on health and the environment, and previously ordered closed by the Department of Environment & Natural Resources.
Measures have been taken but never materialized; a work in progress. Its Facebook status can be declared: It’s complicated!
By security, the problem of peace and order, and the threat of terrorism come to fore. It is not enough that the Philippine National Police patrol the streets; there has to be a good intelligence network at the barangay level, more barangay tanods/auxiliaries to augment the police force, and other community involvement measures.
Computerized recording of events, persons, and other activities on the streets, with the advent of the closed- circuit television (CCTV) as a security monitoring tool (think virtual cops), the urgency of its procurement and installation is long overdue.
The installation of the CCTV system will enhance and maximize the anti-crime drive of the authorities. So how to proceed?
The City Council has approved the proposed lease of a CCTV system for one year amounting to P7 million that will include the installation of 350 cameras for all 30 barangays.
The need for security monitoring is purely mechanical, solved once, the CCTVs are installed.
While there was an approved budget for the outright procurement of CCTVs for P70 million, the balance of P63 million will be applied to the garbage problem in Candau-ay, to acquire a new site, more trucks, equipment or other garbage-reducing or utilization facilities, as published.
There’s no time for “getting historical or hysterical” for name-calling or attributing blame on any party, or even mentioning political alliances, as both these issues affect all citizens alike.
The time for action is now! As Nike would put it, Just Do It!
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Author’s email: whelmayap@yahoo.com
