The pathetic endless blame game in Dagupan
THE recent severe flooding experience by almost all the barangays in Dagupan City became a fodder for all types of critical commentary by opposing political groups in social media.
The groups opposed to the Fernandez administration blame Mayor Belen for aggravating the flood situation by allowing the DPWH to construct the elevated drainage system, effectively obstructing flow of floodwater in the city streets to the sea.
Meanwhile, the groups defending the Belen administration were one in blaming he previous (Brian Lim) administration whose created Flood Control Commission failed to introduce and implement any concrete mitigating measure to minimize flooding in the city.
Understandably, neither group blamed the citizenry for their continued disregard of responsible disposal of their trash and garbage that compounded the ineffectiveness of the current drainage system. This attitude indirectly reflects the refusal of both groups to be held accountable by the citizenry who can easily hurl back what’s thrown at them by either group.
The truth is, everyone is to blame for the city’s series of adversities as the world takes on climate change. Problems are unresolved because of refusal of both people and government to make each other account for their actions and failed performance.
All sectors fail to understand that accountability starts with enforcement of laws and ordinances.
The corrupt cannot be expected to strictly enforce these for obvious reasons while the similarly corrupt among the detractors simply refuse to invoke the same law on corruption because it would incriminate them. Meanwhile, the city’s citizenry cannot be expected to be disciplined when there is no strict enforcement of laws and ordinances.
Today, as in the past, not one city official is holding any other official personally liable for dereliction of duty and abuse of power. This has made the citizenry indifferent towards law and order.
To make accountability work, the city’s leaders must perform by example and show that they are ready to be made accountable. Only then will the citizenry realize that they are as just as accountable as their officials.
Merely blaming others simply ends with blaming others. Pathetic.
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