“IN LEADING the Kaganapan 2012 celebrations, we are committed to its success. This is a sign of genuine unity among our barangay officials and the city government. In fact, all the events are chaired by our barangay captains.

The city-wide clean-up and urban greening day will actually be brought down to the barangays where they, together with the business sector and students, will participate in the environmental mission.”

Thus spake Association of Barangay Captains chief Arnel Sicat, chair of Kaganapan 2012, the City of San Fernando’s celebrations of its 11th year as a component city.

Unity of the barangays is gloriously proclaimed in the theme “Pamibuklud ding Barangay, Kaganapan ning Siyudad.” That’s all about it.  

As to the clean-up and urban greening day, well, there is much, much, much, much to hope for.

Garbage is one major, major problem in all barangays of the city. A problem that cannot find any solution – indeed, it spawns other problems – with the  barangays united in the continuing use of the open dumpsite in Barangay Lara.

Urban greening? So what happened to the urban-greening project last year to assuage the furor over the massacre of trees along MacArthur Highway?

So where are the tree saplings planted – oh so ceremoniously and with much fanfare – along that highway?

Gone. Along with their yellowed markers.

Yet another urban greening day. Yet another fanfare. Yet another instant tree-planting and as instant tree-dying. Until yet another Kaganapan.

Urban greening? A blatant lie, given the continuing tree-cutting and tree-uprooting – what balling? – along Lazatin Avenue in Villa Victoria to make way for some drainage system.

“Kaganapan” – Tagalog for fulfilment, coming into being – for the city as “habitat of human excellence by 2030” is nowhere in the field of clean and green.