Environmental cleanup should start in the barangays

WITH THE serious outbreak of dengue in Iloilo reportedly now rising to 5,435 cases with 20 casualties as of last weekend, Gov.  Arthur Defensor. Jr. has sought the help of private hospitals in the city for any spill over of patients from district hospitals in various parts of the province.

Patients are reportedly occupying even the hallways now.  A state of calamity has been declared all over the province.

As provincial governor of Iloilo, we are wondering why Governor Defensor Jr. appears to be working alone without the municipal mayors whose municipalities were listed as victims of the dengue outbreak doing much for their patients.

As the chief executive of the province, he must lead and the municipal mayors in our municipalities and one component city under him must align their objectives to achieve his government program especially in times like this when there is an emergency.

A provincial executive’s position like that of governor is a top manager in the set-up of the province and he must do his work through other people in his team or organization to achieve his goals.

Going down the line of responsibility, an environmental clean-up must start at the level of the barangay kapitanes. We also should ask them what they are doing to assist the dengue victims in their barangays. It is likewise a duty of the municipal mayors to know what is happening and do something before it is raised to the governor’s level.

Then our provincial governor can be on top of the situation. In this way we believe that he can do more and become very effective to control the outbreak.

Well, while Iloilo City is still not much affected, it is good that we likewise started with our clean-up drive.

When the rains first came last June, there were many clogged road canals that came out.  Maintenance was not being attended by the city and this can promote dengue cases too if they are not immediately fixed. We hope Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry Treñas starts implementing his election promise of repairing the clogged canals in our city roads. 

We have been complaining of our road canal here at NHA 27 in Mandurriao which overflows even just after a few minutes of rain, but our barangay kapitan has not done much to solve the problem before. We hope that he brings it now to the attention of our city mayor who promised during the election campaign to finish our drainage system.

Regarding our column last week, we feel complimented for the comments on Sunday by our columnist colleague in Lapsus on our take on the city’s plan to repeal Executive Order No. 146 notwithstanding that it restored the peace and order situation at Smallville.

It has strengthened our stand on the issue and we say it again as we refer to EO 146, “Please don’t fix it if ain’t broke!”

Is city hall finally listening?

IDIOMS FOR THE ENLIGHTENED MIND

“A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” (For comments or re-actions, please e-mail to jnoveracompany@yahoo.com/PN)

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here