A Garbage Dump in Cadulawan

by: Alan K. Caña

I love the mountains. I love walking through small trails from the valley to the grassy mountain tops. I love the sight of trees,bushes, cornfields, rocky slopes and the terrific view of the far away towns, cities, beaches and the horizon from where I stand at the mountain peak. Above all, I love the fresh clean mountain air as it breezes through my nose.

These things were what I expected to see and experience as my friends and I rode towards Cadulawan, a mountainous area in Minglanilla about 8 kilometers away from the Poblacion. But as we were moving towards Sitio Luwak, we saw to our surprise a Dump Truck filled with garbage. The smell was terrible. I was overwhelmed by it, and instantly suffered from a coughing fit.

Where are they going to dump all those trash? I asked myself.

As we moved on towards Sitio Luwak, before turning right towards the direction of Barrio Lungon, we saw a small clearing atop a hill. It looked like a "Taboan" or a small market place. There were improvised shades made of plastic and cartoons giving shelter to vendors selling their goods.. There were people, mostly children, roaming around scavenging for whatever loot they could take.

It was the most awful sight I've ever seen on a mountain. It somehow upsetted my sense of awe of the place. Cadulawan, of all the places in the world! The place is a Watershed Area and the Government is supposed to protect it!

Whatever happened to the Clean Air and Water Act?

What's the Municipal Government doing about this? The DENR? The Barangay Council and the good people of Cadulawan? These fellow Flipinos are a disgrace to humanity!

To date, I still don't know if the Garbage Dump has a DENR Permit but common sense tells me that the Municpal Government is allowing this because the trucks are owned by the Municipality of Minglanilla. I also saw a truck marked with a logo of a privately-owned local Company run by people close to the ones in the Government.

I've heard that the people of Baranggay Vito were complaining because when the trucks passed by their place they couldn't stand the smell. I didn't know who they sent their complaint to but, the trucks now are following a new route.They are now using the Ward 4 road to Cadulawan. The bad thing is that, our house is located right beside the road.

It pains me to hear children shouting "eeeeeew" when the foul smelling trucks passes by.

Right now I am seething in agony. And if the mountains could cry, I know they would be wailing out loud. And yes I would cry along with them. But tears could not wash away the filth slowly seeping through the earth contaminating the water underneath.

Water is life.

Trash kills.

Do we need to be reminded of this?