The “preservation of the environment means the preservation of life”. This is one line among many that caught my attention in the first State of the Nation Address (SONA) of our President Bongbong Marcos (PBBM) last Monday, July 25, 2022. I totally agree and I believe all environment-loving citizens of this country do the same. Our environment which comprises the air we breathe, the water we drink, the land we live in and the forests that shelter wild flora and fauna are treasures we need to protect not only for us living today but for the future generations after us.
In my beloved San Pablo City where I grew up, I can say that I am one of the living witnesses of how beautiful and pristine our city was – clean rivers, forested lands, unspoiled springs and canopied trees along barrio (now barangay) roads. My heart bleeds every time I see century-old trees being cut to give way to progress. I cringe at the sight of water tributaries and canals being used as dumping places for domestic garbage and as receptacles for animal manure by those engaged in piggery and poultry. I often asked myself, is the profit they get from their businesses worth the destruction of our environment?
Looking back, I can still vividly recall how our barangay (Sta. Monica) looked like seventy (70) years ago. While there was no electricity yet and the road was rough – dusty during summer and muddy during rainy days, life was easy. Food was not a problem because the river traversing from San Rafael down to Sta. Veronica and neighboring areas were rich with fresh-water fishes, clams, edible snails and shrimps. The banks of the river were dense with edible ferns, water spinach and root crops like taro and yam. Firewood for cooking was not also a problem because you can gather it free from the woods and coconut plantation.
Today is totally different. Everything, even banana leaves and fallen coconuts are for sale. The once forested areas and rice fields were destroyed to give way to housing projects and shopping malls. Rivers were neglected and left to poultry and hog raisers to pollute without costs. Look at our rivers now. Progress is not bad, as long as it does not destroy the environment. Remember that song “Kapaligiran” by the band ‘Asin’? It was a perfect reminder for us to take good care of our environment.
The call of our President to preserve the environment must be taken seriously by everybody in the community. It must be taught to schoolchildren and must be made the subject of seminars among government workers and barangay officials. A concerted and continued effort among the people in the community with the help of NGOs and civic organizations would surely yield positive results. This is the only country we have. We must preserve and protect it.
Melinda Bagsic Evangelista
I was born to write and I believe that’s my calling. I love writing because it brings me to the realm exclusively of mine. It is also my opinion that “immortality” can be achieved not by searching for the Holy Grail and drinking from it but by living your life worth-writing or writing something worth-reading. Since I cannot promise you a life worth-writing, I keep myself busy writing something worth-reading. I am thankful to God for giving me the talent and skill to see life in different perspectives not seen by many and the courage to share it to my readers. This first ever Tutubi Digital News Magazine is a perfect avenue to bring you the many facets of life that you can ponder upon in this time of the pandemic. Enjoy reading all the articles.
