Creating abundance

There are so many things I am grateful to Mayor Isko Moreno for. One is that he has spearheaded the clean-up that is now happening in the country and which our president has been so happy to endorse. 

The act has likewise inspired the Department of Interior and Local Government to further push the political will of our local officials to clean the streets and properly locate the vendors.

The relocation of the vendors from the sidewalks has done a great deal of good, for in a crowded street, many a-mysterious -things happen. A most obvious result would be an easier walkway.  A less busy street would lead to proper pick-up and drop off locations for commuters.  Looser avenues open better sights. Literally revealing pickpockets and suspicious vending activities. That reduces petty crimes.

In spite of the uproar of the affected individuals, the need to clear the roads of parked vehicles and stalls that clog the roads, has slowly given us more maneuvering room for transport, and better breathing space for the walkers.

The creativity of our local government officials is also put to the fore as we see how they have accommodated the small entrepreneurs whose livelihood mainly thrived on the sidewalks through night markets and weekend fairs.

The regularity of the clean-up operations is hoped for. Our prayer is that this does not just become a fad but a way of life. Cleaning the streets, roads, esteros, rivers, parks and public markets, public comfort rooms and even government offices must extend to a more personal conviction to also clean our homes. To follow the segregation requirements. To contribute to the sustainability of our environment by doing our share in our own clean-up.

A tidy home is devoid of breeding places for pests. A clean workplace reduces the impact of a stressful workload. A clear road reduces the occurrence of petty accidents and an unobstructed sidewalk allows for better passage and a more fluid pace to where one wants to go without having to burn gas.

In Mandaue City, it has been a long dream of then mayor and now mayor again, Jonas Cortes to make the roads of the city shaded with trees so people can walk. We hope to see this fulfilled. Not by him alone, but by the residents and the corporate citizens in the area as well.

Our governor, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, who we know as the action lady, is very strong on her programs to build the countryside to not just capacitate the big cities for bigger economies but to create economic progress all over the province and all of her programs now begin with cleaning up of expenditures to give room for more purposive projects.

There are many good things happening, I would like to believe. And I continue to place my hope on the clean hearts that come along with all these intentions. And I pray, again, that the role to clean-up the streets, the walkways, the home and the heart will be made personal and not just a function of government. That all of us will take part, as this is where God’s promise of abundance begins.