October 2018 Editorial

Editorial Cartoon: Vicente Aringo

   The public outcry for water was a common thread on social media among It-ba residents this October.  It was perfectly timed during the fiesta preparation and when classes from elementary to college were at its peak.  The problem even went to the extent that the LGU had to ration water through the Municipal truck. 

       

        An suriyaw kan mga residente sa It-ba manungod sa tubig an kumon na mababasa sa social media ngunyan na Oktubre.

Imagine a 400-student community college operating without water.  Imagine a newly installed 4-inch main water line hacked, or so we’ve heard, by an irresponsible (or perhaps uber frustrated) citizen.

Water is one of our most basic needs and is thus one of the most basic services that people expect from the local government.  If Manito wants to prosper, it must work on water security.  Development is driven by commerce and industry.  But how can we have commercial enterprises like restaurants, water refilling stations, public market, etc. if they could not obtain adequate and reliable water supply.  

An pag-uswag an resulta kan industriya buda komersyo. Pero, panu kita magkakaigwa ki mga komersyal na negosyo arog kan mga restawran, water refilling stations, pampublikong saudan, buda iba pa kun dae sinda makakua ki tama buda maaasahan na pagkukuwaan ki tubig.

Water is a gauge of progress.  How can we receive tourists when we can’t even supply water for the locals? What is the use of tourism and agri-festivals like Nito-Talahib if we can’t support the most basic amenity that tourists require?

Panu kita maresibe ki mga turista kun maski an mga taga-Manito dae ta masuplayan ki tubig? Ano an serbi kan turismo buda agri-festivals arog kan Nito-Talahib kun dae ta masuportahan an pinakaprimerong kaipuhan kan mga turista?

There might be valid reasons for the problem.  An engineering problem, perhaps?  If so, then we know who are the people to talk to.  Is it budgetary?  Then we also know who are in charge.   Is it lack of foresight?  Then it is an issue of leadership and management.   Is it a problem with residents because, as others mock, “there are hundreds of plumbers in Manito -- cutting and tapping into water pipes at will.”  Is it a problem of regulation?  Then we know who are in charge of executing plans and making sure laws and regulations are obeyed. 

Pwedeng igwang balidong rason sa problemang ini.

“Igwang kadakol na tubero sa Manito—kusang nagpuputol  buda nagluluho kan mga tubo kan tubig.

There has to be a reason or a combination of reasons.  We just can’t keep accepting excuses.  

Igwa ini ki rason o kombinasyon kan mga rason. Dae sana dapat kita nag-a-akseptar ki mga dahilan.

Again, a water shortage problem in a water-rich municipality like Manito -- surrounded from all sides by rivers, waterfalls and the sea -- is a puzzle we simply cannot comprehend.

         Sa giraray, an problema sa kakulangan kan tubig kan mayayaman sa tubig na munisipalidad arog kan Manito—napapalibutan kan mga salog, busay buda mga kadagatan—ay sarong simpleng isipon na dae ta kayang sabuton.