Do you hear the people sing?

Do you hear the people sing? Singing the song of angry men? It is the music of the people who will not be slaves again! When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums; there is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!

These words are from the song Do you hear the people sing? from the musicale Les Miserable. This is a song that expresses every man’s right to fight for freedom, especially from the clutch of slavery. This reminds me of what just happened a few weeks ago in Zambales when the town folk of San Antonio and San Felipe, Zambales began to cry foul against the corrupt practices of their local government units particularly their mayors and barangay captains.

As we all know, Zambales has been a hot spot for illegal mining (quarrying and dredging) for so many years now. One would wonder why haven’t these illegal activities stopped. We are paying so much in taxes to protect and preserve our land and people. But only the opposite has happened, all because the very people who have sworn to serve the country, from our esteemed congressmen, governors, mayors down to the barangay officials have done nothing but assuage their greed and hunger for power and wealth. This is even made worse because they are also in cahoots with the local government agencies. Sanamagan!

Last week, DENR Secretary Cimatu went to San Felipe, Zambales to check the anomalies going on connected to the alleged quarrying/ dredging complaints of the people. Although Mayor Fariñas in her privilege speech denied all the allegations, Secretary Cimatu himself saw the violations under the very noses of the local government units and corresponding agencies. However, I found him too soft. I wonder what actions he will take against the mayor and the barangay chairman and the rest of the LGU officials. By the way, my alikabok says that during the visit of Cimatu, the barges seen in the areas of interest in Zambales were hidden in Anawangin. How true is this? Susmariosep!

The good news is that there is now a new DENR Regional Director for Central Luzon Director Paquito Moreno Jr., former ground commander of Task Force Boracay. So what will happen now to Francisco Milla Jr.? Will he be given administrative sanctions for what he has done and failed to do as DENR regional director in Central Luzon? Abangan!

How can our country resolve corruption when we don’t have immediate actions for public officials who have clearly violated the law? What will happen to those officials responsible for Boracay, Zambales, Dengvaxia, MRT, NFA issues, Customs anomalies, Comelec poll anomalies, COA irregularities, inaction of DOJ on high profile cases, Supreme Court questionable decisions, the drug menace, money laundering, etc?

Will we have to wait for citizen’s action groups to file a case to the Ombudsman who is slower than a turtle in getting the job done? Even the DOJ has tons of backlogged cases that make you think they are deliberately delaying them. Who watches over the LGUs in their dirt and grave misconducts?

I’m glad because the people of Zambales have finally found their voices. They are no longer taking all these anomalies sitting down. They are going to fight until the end despite the threats. I believe it is time for our people to speak up, to fight for freedom against all these corrupt practices and injustices that have enslaved them for so long.

It is unfortunate, however, that many of our countrymen are illiterate especially in remote areas where many big time illegal environmental activities are happening. The President must take on the fight against illiteracy to strengthen the fabric of our nation so that everyone can protect the land from the corrupt men and women in office.

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On Boracay: The closure of Boracay has just shown the world how concerned our country is about the degradation of the environment. If our government aggressively works toward the rehabilitation of this island, then, our country would be making a difference. After which, the rest should follow whether land or sea.

On the other hand, angry netizens are not helping at all! All they care about is the planned vacation that turned sour. Some are mad about the displacement of many Filipinos who have lost jobs. They should realize that the island has a problem. It clearly needs rehabilitation. The culprit – the local government and local agencies. They need to be punished. The private establishments who have violated the island should also be held accountable for contributing to the deterioration of the island.

Boracay is not alone in this fight to protect the environment. Maya Beach in Thailand, the famous beach where Leonardo di Caprio filmed “The Beach” will also close down for four months. Closing down beaches and dive sites are not new to Thailand. They have been closing down areas to protect the eco-systems from uncontrolled tourism, pollution of boats, garbage problems from resorts, damage of coral reefs due to rising sea temperatures, etc.

We also need to realize that natural environments need time and space away from people. Jonas Martonas wrote an article on The Effect of Human Activities on the Environment. He wrote: Humans impact the environment in several ways. Common effects include decreased water quality, increased pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, depletion of natural resources and contribution to global climate change... One of the biggest impacts humans have on aquatic systems is excess nutrient inputs. Nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus, are essential to the health and survival of aquatic plants and animals. However, humans introduce large quantities of nutrients, primarily through overuse of fertilizers (other toxic chemicals). Too many nutrients can rapidly reduce water quality by causing overgrowth of certain bacteria and algae... The majority of air pollution is the result of human activities. For example, increased fossil fuel combustion from motor vehicles, industrial factories and power plants all pump large quantities of air pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, ozone and nitrous oxides, into the atmosphere… According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, human activities are largely responsible for an increase in temperature around the globe, primarily due to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions.

He continues: There are several simple things that people can do on a daily basis to minimize their impact on the environment. For example, taking public transportation, biking or walking instead of driving will reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Reducing the amount of fertilizer applied to lawns, gardens and vegetables will lessen the likelihood of water pollution nearby, which is also beneficial for drinking water and human health. Using less energy in the home can lessen the amount of pollution put into the air by coal burning power plants. Any activity which reduces water and energy consumption can lead to positive impacts on our environment.

We need to develop a more proactive attitude in protecting our country, our land and waters. Let us not allow humans to take over and destroy them. Let us not allow greed to reign. We have already realized that our country boasts so many natural wonders far better than theme parks around the world. But if we continue to neglect it, to avoid the looming realities, to allow its abuse and exploitations – then one day our most precious gem will be lost.