Many of us think that it is people’s entire fault why our waste is the most common problem of our society. But just as an after thought, did we ever think that we should be a part of everybody’s change?

This was the task assigned to the 45 of us ecological solid waste management student volunteers of the municipality of Buenavista. We started with the orientation of what ESWM was all about, proper waste segregation, recycling and composting. We were even taught how to knock on other people’s doors to teach them proper waste management. The rest of our 30 days were spent in giving house-to-house orientations, actual roadside clean-up, coastal clean-up and meetings with barangay officials. During these activities, I have realized that it is not really easy to do things to change other people’s habits and lives.

After several days and even weeks of nurturing our assigned barangays, we were getting the results we hoped for. I really witnessed people from Sto Rosario and Rizal taking with their bare hands two sacks for biodegradable and non-biodegradble wastes. I was really astonished by the fact that they now avoid doing open burning and was very aware of the program. It was conscience! YES! It was really conscience which was working in everybody’s mind and heart.

The 30-days work started April 17 and ended May 20. Dealing with people is not an easy job. You need to be patient and humble. You’re like a business agent selling something. I had encountered persons with attitudes of “gaya-gaya”, ningas kugon”, “bahala na”, and “tsismis muna bago mesa”. While having our house-to-house campaign we had encountered people shouting, “Day, ari pa plastic puluta!”. We try to explain to them that each one of us must be responsible for our garbage. We need to segregate them. Some of the reactions were “Permi lang meeting wala man tupa!”. “Day, abi mo halin sang gamay ko ang mga dahon kag plastic ginasilhig ko na kag ginatutdan. Ano pa tinlo akon palibot!”. Sad to say that their intentions are good but the solutions are improper.

The most unforgettable experience I had encountered was, when I and my companion were threatened with a baby armalite.

I : “Manong mayong aga… We are summer volunteers gali ah. Ari kami di para ipahibalo sa imo ang nahanungod sa R.A. 9003. Amo ina ang programa sang aton banwa sa pagsegregate sang basura….

Manong: “Ay Day, la ko ya labot sa decree decree nyo na ya!! Abi mo Day ang importante subong ya and decree sang kaldero ta!!!”

He got angry. He shouted while climbing upstairs and said “Indi pa kamomaghalin di?! Hulata nyo ko da kay paniruhon ta kamo”.

Honestly we left hurriedly then. I asked the man sitting near the store, “Migo amo gid na say a? Wala ko ka experience subong palang”. But life must go on and we continued our house to house campaign.

Days and weeks had passed, our summer job was over. I will miss those times together with my friends sharing our experiences and laughing. I learned a lot from my experiences. I learned to be more responsible.