What about the trash?

TRUE to its award-winning form, the provincial government has again proven that it is resolute in its priority program of environmental protection.

The Pangasinan Environment Code of 2012, which has been fermenting in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for six years, has finally been signed into law last week under Provincial Ordinance No. 159-2012. Alongside that, the Health and Sanitation Code of the Province of Pangasinan was also put into effect under Provincial Ordinance No. 162-2012. These are landmark legislation for the province, a testament that the administration of Governor Amado T. Espino Jr. is not simply after the pogi points in terms of awards, but seriously wants to institutionalize reforms to ensure that Pangasinan’s rich natural resources will be used responsibly and sustainably.

Then again, there is one nagging issue that the Espino leadership cannot afford to overlook if it hopes to cover all its bases in terms of guarding and caring for nature: the continued non-compliance of majority of the local government units in the requirements under the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, particularly the setting up of material waste recovery facilities, the closure of open dumpsites and the construction of sanitary landfills. Some LGUs have already started discussions on possible alliances for a shared landfill, especially considering the poorer municipalities who would be financially and technically hard-pressed to build their own. But things are moving way too slow. Remember, the deadline for compliance to Republic Act 9003 was supposed to have been some six years ago. The provincial government, in as much as it succeeded in getting the support of the municipal and city governments for the two new laws, can assume a leader’s role in pushing for and helping find solutions to this pressing concern.

The trash produced by Pangasinenses has got to be managed if the province’s environment were to be truly protected.

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Dolphy

IF there is one compelling lesson we’ve learned anew with the death of Dolphy, it is this: Life ends no matter who you are.

Rich or poor, great or dumb, superstar or nondescript, everybody returns to his Creator.

We could have a second stab at a dream, but never a second stab at life. Once life is ended, that’s it. Goodbye.

In eulogies spoken of Dolphy, he was consistently pictured as a good man with a big heart, oozing with humility, one generous to a fault. There is no man kinder than him.

But the trouble really with Dolphy dying is, there will never be a Dolphy again. Dolphy as a comedian has no equal. He is as irreplaceable as your lost youth.

With Dolphy gone, we can’t laugh that laugh again.

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