A video went viral on the internet showing a man indiscriminately throwing garbage into the sea near Pasil Fish Market in Barangay Pasil, Cebu City. With the help of a concerned citizen, the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) and Sawang Calero Police Station 6 tracked down the man identified as “Juanito,” a resident of Barangay Duljo-Fatima.
As a penalty, the Cebu City Environmental and Sanitation Enforcement Team (Ceset) issued three citation tickets against him for violating ordinances on improper waste disposal and environmental sanitation.
Although Juanito apologized and argued that he was only cleaning the street and decided to throw the garbage into the sea, this is not a reason to excuse his actions. His behavior reflects a lack of discipline, which is a primary enemy of our environment today.
Due to public outrage, some internet commenters suggested that it would be better to relocate residents from those areas to prevent garbage from floating in the sea. But the question is: Is it that easy?
Relocating residents is not simple. The government has an obligation to find relocation sites or provide financial assistance for them to find new homes. This requires substantial funding and a concrete plan.
To find a sustainable solution to the housing and sanitation problem, we must look back at history. In 1979, former First Lady Imelda Marcos created the BLISS (Bagong Lipunan Improvement of Sites and Services) housing program under the Ministry of Human Settlements.
This program was successful due to its quick and affordable rent-to-own scheme for homeless beneficiaries, using a usufruct system or long-term lease of state land paid through the Pag-IBIG Fund established in 1978.
One of the best examples is the BLISS in Philcoa, Quezon City. There, the residents are clean and organized—no clotheslines hanging from windows, and there is a large open space or park where residents can relax.
This is what should also be done along the shores of Ermita and Pasil. If residents are given decent and orderly communities, discipline will naturally develop, and the recurring problem of garbage in the sea will be completely prevented.
However, on the other hand, we must also accept that times have changed. According to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., building more high-rise buildings or high-rise houses can now help solve the country’s housing shortage, which has reached over 6.5 million units.
He acknowledged that the BLISS project of his parents succeeded in providing homes and land to the poor. But due to the lack of land in cities today, the mid-rise buildings of the past may no longer be sufficient.
The incident in Pasil is a serious reminder. It is not enough to arrest and issue a citation ticket to Juanito. The real solution lies in the government’s urgent and modern housing program—such as high-rise housing with proper sanitation systems.
