Writ of Kalikasan

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Writ of Kalikasan

By Alejandro del Rosario

A writ of Kalikasan, a court order empowering citizens to assert their right to a healthy environment, has been issued in favor of the people of Obando, Bulacan.

The writ in effect stops businessman Antonio Cabangon Chua to start his Ecoshield landfill project. Journalist Dick Malay who first brought the case to our attention cautioned us not to celebrate just yet. The case now goes to the Court of Appeals where stranger things have happened.

Dick, a veteran journalist, is watching how this case is decided in the appellate court.

He should network with environmentalist Gina Lopez. The concern of Obando’s townsfolk is in line with Gina’s green advocacy.

Dick’s mother lives in Obando and they rue what has happened to the small sylvan town. There is already a dump in the town operated by businessman Reghis Romero. A second one planned by Cabangon Chua would really make Obando the pits.

Roxas Boulevard eyesore

That stretch of Roxas Boulevard from Pedro Gil to Quirino Avenue has become an eyesore. Homeless people are using it as their sleeping quarters. They settle in with their pushcarts, or just sleep on the few remaining concrete benches spared by Typhoon Pedring.

During heavy traffic on Roxas Boulevard, commuters and no doubt foreign tourists cannot help but notice the city’s denizens stretching themselves out as soon as dusk sets in. This is another one for the American tourist’s video, on what he does not like about the Philippines that went viral on the internet.

The six o’clock crowd on this stretch of Roxas Boulevard gathers every evening against the makeshift galvanized iron fence put up the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Manila City government after seawater surged at the height of Typhoon Pedring, inundating areas up to Taft Avenue.

Apparently the reconstruction of the seawall has stopped as public funds ran out. But the authorities concerned should give it priority—this is a major thoroughfare where Sofitel, Manila Hotel and the US Embassy are located. The sorry sight of our homeless people juxtaposed against the world-famous Manila Bay with its fabulous sunset is not a pretty postcard picture foreign visitors would like to send home.

While stuck in traffic on the boulevard two nights ago, I noticed a big, burly Caucasian with a small Filipino girl in tow slip through a crack in the galvanized fence. God knows what else goes on behind that makeshift fence.

Speaking of tourists, a Belgian visitor was victimized by the Ativan gang. She was befriended by two female gang members who sweet talked her into showing her the sights up North. She woke up in a fleabag hotel with her money (1,500 euros) and valuables gone. Where were the tourism police who are supposed to be deployed in the Malate area? If you walk around the Malate-Remedios Circle area, one can see a few unmanned and deteriorating “tourism police” outposts.

More fun in the Philippines? It probably is if you want to live dangerously.

The problem with our slogan-fixated officials is that they focus on the slogan instead of fixing the problem first. Crime, as everyone except the police knows, is a major problem of our tourism program. The wordsmiths and the marketing gurus think promoting the Philippines is “as easy as selling Chickenjoy.”

The government paid the new Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez and his advertising outfit millions of pesos to come up with the slogan “It’s more fun in the Philippines.” Yeah right — it’s more fun in the Philippines. It’s not even original as the marketing catchphrase was borrowed from a page of a Swiss tourism brochure.

Like the American visitor whose video became viral, I will probably get a lot of flak from the jingoists who will be telling me “to love it or leave it.”

Sometime in 1999, Hollywood actress Claire Danes was declared “persona non grata” by the Manila City Council headed by Kim Atienza. The actress was here for the filming of “Brokedown Palace” After the filming, Claire Danes said “Manila is a ghastly, weird city smelling of cockroaches and there are rats everywhere.”

We may not like what Claire Danes said but there are many who would agree with her.

The “Bourne Legacy” film crew just finished shooting city scenes. I dread what Rachel Weisz and Jeremy Renner would say once they are back home. I am looking forward to watching the film. Even if the two Hollywood stars do not say anything derogatory, scenes of Manila’s monstrous traffic jams and filthy markets will be worth a thousand unflattering words.

The one saving grace would probably be the beach scenes shot in Palawan and Puerto Galera.