With the onslaught of typhoons and floods, blame is readily placed on ?illegal? settlers living along the waterways and on the dumping of garbage which is attributed to them. But people who live on the banks of the esteros and rivers are not there by choice. It would be an accurate assumption that all those living along the waterways dream of having sturdier homes, on much safer ground and in locations where there are decent jobs and livelihood.

As for the garbage, it is not theirs. Many poor people make a living out of the garbage of the rich, sometimes even getting their food from garbage, literally. Their only waste is what comes out of their bodies.

Flooding is mainly caused by bigger reasons, like commercial structures built over esteros, poor and inadequate urban planning, logging and mining operations. Perhaps, people?s thoughts are far from those of the big-timers whose structures and operations are deemed ?legal? because they are given government permits. Think again.

?JULIE L. PO,
Linangan ng Kulturang Pilipino,
jlp704@yahoo.com