Tomorrow for all we know is promised to no one, yet people make so many plans for the future. Parents work hard to give their children good education, and of course they say it is for their future.
God gifted us with a clean and green environment. The virgin, verdant forests protect us from catastrophic floods and erosion. The towering mountain ranges serve as our shield against the onslaught of rampaging winds, tornadoes and cyclones. The panoramic and scintillating vinta of the blue-deep crystal clear sea water from where we bathe and from where our crustacean and aquatic foods live, the humming of bees and chirping of birds and other feathered creatures which give us delight and peace of mind, the sunlight which provides us with energy and energizes our down-trodden spirit, all of these add in strengthening and prolonging of one’s spirit and stamina – the prolonging of one’s life.
They say that the future offers us many things in life. But, is there really a bright future waiting for us? How could it be bright and how could it be promising, when at present, we can already feel that our environment is no longer as healthy and as clean as it was before?. Gone were those days. Today, we can no longer inhale the air with the certainty of its safety and purity. Exposure to sunlight is no longer advisable because pollutants have destroyed our ozone layer. Killer flash floods that happened in some parts of the country have claimed thousands of lives. This is because of illegal logging perpetrated in our country.
There are some parts of the country where aquatic products are no longer safe to eat due to water pollution caused by the emission of refuse and toxic waste by cargo ships, factories and residents themselves. Even spring water which used to be aqua pure is no longer potable due to mercury contamination because of gold mining. Typhoons and storms of great intensity always victimize Juan Dela Cruz because of the flattening of hills, high lands, and even forest areas in exchange for a modern condominium and other housing projects. Today, because of illegal fishing, the coral reefs which used to be the habitat of marine life are fast disappearing. It is no longer safe to soak in rain water because of its radio -active fallouts caused by bomb testing of the advanced countries. Added to this is the practice of many in throwing away plastic containers which are non -biodegradable. Since they don’t decay, they pollute the environment. If burned, the smoke in turn destroys our ozone layer. These problems and many more are triggered by man’s universal quest for progress and prosperity.
We don’t dream of inheriting from the past an environment which is not good for our health. If we ever have to live and face life, it must be a kind of life where there is fresh air and healthful, non-toxic surrounding. We don’t want to live in too much poverty nor in poor health.
By: Mrs. Editha T. Sulangi | T-III | Emilio C. Bernabe High School | Bagac, Bataan
