‘Sanib-Pwersa’ raises a stink–proactively

Mel Tiangco

Last November 13’s telecast of “Sanib-Pwersa” had hosts Arnold Clavio and Mel Tiangco zeroing in on the huge and even endemic problem of poor sanitation and toilet facilities in this country.

It was a timely reminder of this great irony: Filipinos are supposed to be among the cleanest people on earth (we bathe daily, don’t we?) and yet, when we “wee” or “poo,” the facilities for those basic and all-important acts are sometimes deficient—even nonexistent!

Blame it on some (many?) government people’s poor planning and spirit of public service. In many places, the facilities may initially be there, but no funds are earmarked for upkeep and repair, so public and school toilets quickly, figuratively and literally “go to pot-ty.”

The show first visited a school that had only two toilets for female students, while the boys had to do their thing out in the stinking open. It was pathetic to hear school officials talk about the smelly situation as though their hands were manacled behind their backs and they could do nothing about it.

Perhaps some of them thought they were there only to educate, not to worry about how their pupils could self-respectively defecate? Whatever.

The fact that they regarded the situation as “hopeless” showed how little they thought of their wards’ welfare—and the pesky thought wormed its way into this viewer’s noggin: What about the teachers’ toilets? Were they in as horrible a state as the students’? If they were better off, what did this say about the school officials’ mindset?

Anyway, “Sanib-Pwersa” did more than just show viewers the extent of the school’s problem—it confronted the issue by quickly rehabilitating the toilet facilities.

It did the same for a community located elsewhere, providing a communal toilet that made use of materials that drastically reduced costs and introduced composting and other environmentally friendly techniques.

Do-gooders

We credit the show for this proactive stance, but we note that most of the recipients did little to contribute to the improvements made, so the entire process still had a “magical” aura to it that shouldn’t be encouraged.

Yes, do-gooders should be praised to high heavens, but if they’re the only ones who do the “good-doing,” no real and permanent lessons are learned.

Arnold Clavio

“Sanib-Pwersa” can make a stronger impact on viewers’ consciousness if it shows the program, its donors and the members of the community or school working together to decisively solve the problem.

In addition, even as everyone is working together, the officials involved (or uninvolved) shouldn’t be let off so easily.

It shouldn’t be enough to say, “If you don’t provide the funds and do it, we will.” Erring or indolent officials should be taken to task and persuaded, maybe even shamed, to do their jobs proactively and well.

The best action and solution should involve everybody, saints and (reformed) sinners alike, so that significant changes in attitude and behavior are made—for keeps.