Restore People’s Creek

by Dobie P. Parohinog

A drying Bulwang creek (picture above) in Numancia, Aklan with badly polluted water as residents nearby disposed their garbage in that creek.

This article features an eye opener for local officials and community leaders on the menace brought about by a non-functional creek being used as seawage mainstream for Olive Plains Subdivision. Both sides of the creek is densely populated, located in the mainland of Barangay Bulwang, Numancia, Aklan.
In the past decade, there was a creek lying across the mainland of Barangay Bulwang, Numancia from the estuary of the wonderful Aklan River through the highway going to the northern portion of Aklan. According to the local elders, this creek used to be the mainstream drainage during water floods. It was likewise a fishing port of the community, considering that the place is inundated by seawater during high tide.
However, with the development of Olive Plains Subdivision in Purok 5, almost one-half portion of the creek was dumped by voluminous earth fill and residues that made the creek lost its identity. It became a settlement of residents who mushroomed. What remained of the creek is a shallow canal dumped with non-biodegradable garbage from local settlers, and effluence from the residents of the existing subdivision.
Now, the creek is paralyzed and contained a black sea of polluted water as habitat for micro-organisms which are harmful for the people especially to young children, to wade over or even play within. Health problems among children in the community are prevalent that are causing frequent absenteeism. Moreover, a higher level of water floods greatly affect households’ properties which are also true for all adjoining Barangays. Nowadays, flood-over is reaching Barangay Laguinbanua, also of the Municipality of Numancia, which was never experienced in the past. People believed that this remorseful incidence is imputable to the degrading creek in the locality.
Whatever reality the people are experiencing in Barangay Bulwang, this serves as meaningful lesson for others. This is not a weird incidence but a global environmental concern. Natural environment is God’s creation requiring ecological balance as life itself. It deserves proper conservation, preservation and protection to sustain its healthful existence.
Nevertheless, Bulwang’s degrading creeks must be properly rehabilitated to restore the natural mainstream of water from upland and from the sea. But what corresponding collateral shall the local residents provide to maintain a pollution free river?
Similarly, what possible action shall the Bulwang and Numancia local officials make for the restoration of a functional creek?
This writer wishes to appreciate the effort of Punong Barangay Plaridel C. Tembrevilla of Barangay Bulwang, Numancia, Aklan for passing a resolution dated April 17, 2008 addressed to the Municipal Mayor of Numancia, and to the Provincial Governor of Aklan regarding their support and assistance in rehabilitating the Bulwang’s Creek. /MP