Garbage mess, Mayor Lim’s responsibility

 

By Ermin Garcia Jr.

THE Brian Lim administration in Dagupan City came to power with its touted slogan Shared Responsibility (which by the way is not an original slogan by the Lims). But since he assumed his post, city residents have not heard the Mayor Brian Lim even assuming responsibility neither has he lifted a finger to show that he has any plan to provide immediate relief and solution to the worsening garbage collection mess in the city, except to insist not to collect unsegregated wastes in barangays.

Woe is Bernard Cabison, the head of the Waste Management Division. He’s been deserted and left with the burden of facing angry city residents for the almost ton of uncollected garbage left in the streets by his office. He is even made to explain the operation of a city hall consultant who has been exploiting the waste segregation policy by collecting all the segregated recyclable materials for his junk business.

To Mr. Cabison’s credit, like a true soldier, he dared not blame his Boss Brian for the garbage crisis. He has been owning up to the policy of “no segregation, no collection” all by his lonesome self. Note: He is not only sharing in the responsibility of the mayor, but he is owning the responsibility fully.

Mr. Cabison ought to teach Mr. Lim how to practice what he preaches in real life.  Mr. Lim once told city hall employees: “Dapat po and mindset natin bilang mga public officials is to be able to encourage each other and pull each other up, regardless of your position or what your situation is.” Big words from a do-nothing executive.

Mr. Lim ought to post “Maraming salamat“ notes for Mr. Cabison in all his Facebook accounts – not because he is doing a good job solving the garbage mess but for being a loyal soldier taking the flak for him.

But if its any consolation to Mr. Cabison, people know too well who’s responsible for the garbage mess in the city – that’s Mayor Brian Lim, and nobody elses!

Curiously, not even newly appointed City Administrator Vlad Mata appears to be the least concerned about the garbage mess. In his recent Monday flag ceremony message last week, he talked about Covid-19, and no mention about the growing mounds of uncollected garbage around him. Oh well… follow the boss’ example.

If you care to know how Mr. Lim rubs salt on the city’s injury, he prides himself to be known as the “Environmentalist Mayor!  (https://philippinesgraphic.net/marc-brian-lim-the-environmentalist-mayor/) Sige la sirin.

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MAYOR BRIAN’S FB ACCOUNTS. Speaking of Mr. Lim’s Facebook accounts, since I was told early on that PIO Ging Cardinoza will not issue press releases on the mayor’s activities, and would leave it to media to make the effort to know more about the city through the FBs of Mr. Lim (that he administers). So I do.

And I have since understood why my friend Ging would not issue press releases – there was nothing to report since his boss became mayor. It’s been 7 months and 90% of the contents of the Mr. Lim’s several Facebook accounts are activities of the national agencies, i.e., job placements, CHED’s scholarship, Decorp interruption schedule, LTO registration rules, civil registration month, Red Cross blood letting program, Oplan Damayan for Taal victims, Covid-19 forum of R1MC, etc.

Oh yes, he had special greetings for achievers, birthday greetings to allies, memes on Bangus Festival that had no details and yes, two reports on his Pandaragdupan ed Barangay, courtesy calls to his office  and pictures of him beside Manila Mayor Isko Moreno obviously for “shared publicity” with the action mayor making others believe he is in the same mold as Mayor Isko.   

Check out https://www.facebook.com/BrianLimfor2019/ https://www.facebook.com/BrianLimAngMayorKo/ and you’ll know what I mean.

Ging must be having a great, easy time as public information officer compared to his being a correspondent of PDInquirer. Nothing to inform the public about. Not even a reply to Mary Ann Asistin Agustin’s post:  Mayor bakit nyu po hinayahaan magsunog ng basura ang mga caretaker.. puro nalng po pollution ang nalalanghap namin dito sa bonuan tondaligan Beach… Umaga hapon Gabi.. di sila tumitigil magsunog ng plastic.. Sana mayor masulusyonan nyu po ito.

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STILL NO COMMUNITY PROJECTS. Read Mr. Lim’s FB accounts, I noted he had a short-lived Pandaragupan ed Dagupan in Barangay Salisay and Camay, other than that  I have yet to read a notable community project he launched for city schools, senior citizens, health programs in the barangays, (he did one, thanks to the balikbayan doctors who arrived for their annual mission), a sports program, a beautification program, scholarship programs, a peace and order program, anti illegal drugs program, etc..

Even the clearing operations for which he said received high grades was a fluke. The sidewalks around the city and the market lately have been recaptured by motorists, tricycles, storeowners. The illegal fish pens have since sprouted along river banks not traversed by the Dawel River Cruise.

The colorful lights around the city were good till they lasted. That was the first and the last major community project in the city.  Kaskasyan met su Dagupan !

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FRIENDLY HATE MAIL. I received a mail posted “special delivery” delivered by the postman from a Teresita G. Torio of Bonuan Binloc, who admitted to have followed this column for the past two years. Firstly, I have to thank her for being a loyal PUNCH reader. Briefly, she riled against my being critical of the late Mayor Benjie Lim and his family and accused me of being a lapdog of ex-Mayor Belen Fernandez, and that I don’t deserve to be in media. Since she spent P23 for her mailed letter, she certainly deserves a reply. Next week!

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