Waiting for the hope he hoped

Cotabato Residents Support Global Campaign to Stand up Against Poverty

http://www.pngoc.org/cotabato_residents_support_global_campaign_to_stan.html 

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COTABATO CITY, (PNA) -– Cotabato City residents, heavily affected by flooding last month and last year joined on Sunday the global campaign "to stand up against poverty" by holding a half-day clean-up drive around the city.

Spearheaded by the city government of Cotabato, the Notre Dame Broadcasting Corporation, the Philippine NGO Council on Population, Health and Welfare Inc. and United Nations Population Fund, some 5,000 residents went out of their homes and cleaned up drainage canals and esteros and cut grasses beginning at 6:00 a.m.

Applying the local officials' know-how on solid waste management, villagers were taught to segregate the biodegradable and non-biodegradable materials.

“This is our contribution to the continuing global warming, we should continue to stand up against poverty by protecting our environment,” Cotabato City Mayor Muslimin Sema said.

Bai Sandra Sema, who chairs the Cotabato City Tourism Council, said the clean-up drive was a noble undertaking by groups, non-governmental organizations and individuals to save Cotabato City from flooding.

Last year and this year, the city’s 32 out of 37 villages were submerged by flood water, displacing some 22,000 people.

Dubbed “Labanan ang Kahirapan, Linisin ang Kapaligiran, Now Na!” (Fight poverty, clean our environment now!) the residents also vowed to make the general clean-up drive a weekly activity.

“The beneficiaries of this clean-up drive are us and no other,” Village chair Sumael Sekak of Barangay Rosary Heights 12 said as he led his constituents in clearing up esteros and canals of plastic materials that clogged the water flow.

“This is hitting several birds with one stone,” was how Nikki Lintongan, a local radio announcer, described the activity.

“By cleaning our surroundings, we save ourselves from various diseases, provide us clean environment and kill breeding places of dengue-causing mosquitoes, among others,” she said, noting that people from all walks of life made their family day a clean-up day.

"You see fathers, mothers, children, soldiers, policemen, vendors, rich and poor, joining hands and cleaning up their surroundings in this historic day," Mayor Sema said.

This city of about 300,000 people has been the catch-basin of flood waters from Rio Grande de Mindanao which emanates from the Agusan River.

Just an hour or two heavy down pour would submerge major streets and low-lying areas in the city, damaging agricultural products and other crops.

After the clean-up drive, the residents pledged to help the government achieve the Millennium Development Goals before 2015. (PNA)

Toms and LV
Photo Taken by: Atty.Kirby Matalam Abdullah

This picture was actually taken in Cotabato City. Before I study in Davao, I always notice this man in the picture.Although he was not asking for money, I give him five to ten pesos every time I see him.As you can see, he is already old, doesn't have a place to live, and he also does not have enough money to be able to buy food to eat.This is only one of the many situations in Cotabato and/or in other cities. 

"We don't care spending hundreds of thousands for an expensive bag, but how about a single centavo for those who needs it most?" the photographer said.

What do you think is the problem? The most common answer is Poverty.Poverty in Cotabato City is very rampant because many people who live there don't have work.But it is not only the reason why people in Cotabato are suffering from poverty, it is also prone in heavy rains that causes floods.One of my friend told me that the man in the picture experienced flood.So how can we start to have a change in our place fellow Cotabateños?As far as being commended as a contributor for good change is concerned, it is just obvious how our personal/ individual actions reflect that of the city. If the sincerity and truthfulness of ours will to become catalyst of good change is unquestionable, then let us prove the doubtful that change in us is possible! If we cannot change our attitude about seeing what should not be seen and not seeing what should be seen, then as early as now, let us forget about the change we want to be!

The negative effect on this problem is the poor will be poorer IF and only if the assigned people who should help will not be alert in giving enough help like money, food,clothes on them.

I think the positive effect of this situation is the government will surely help those poor and others who were affected. And for them to realize and make actions in this kind of incident in Cotabato.I hope that they will not wait for the things to happen before they will make actions. 

As PNoy said in his SONA; “You are part of this accomplishment.” We are part of the accomplishment because we chose to become part of it, we decided to be the change we want to be. See, if we stood idle, growth and development would be impossible.

The change we want to be are in us, it lies in us and therefore cannot be realized if we stay idle. If not today, when will we? If no one starts it, who will? We were heard, seen and counted as Filipinos by living answer: ordinary lives. Imagine, how much Philippines will grow if we exert more efforts than we used to do. There would be rough roads along the way, for evil will always find way to discourage goodness, therefore we must be firm in our convictions. Our country has already changed, and I will continue the change. Change? Writers cannot articulate it, critics cannot appropriate it, statisticians cannot calculate it, only we can initiate it!