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Community Problem

The document discusses the tradition of betel nut chewing ("moma" or "nganga") among tribes in Ifugao, Philippines. While a cultural practice, public spitting of the red residue has caused sanitation issues. The campaign "Chew Responsibly" aims to address this through encouraging use of portable spit bottles, designated spitting areas, and stricter enforcement of anti-spitting laws. The goal is to respect cultural traditions while maintaining a clean public environment.

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Nikka Aubrey Tegui-in
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73 views

Community Problem

The document discusses the tradition of betel nut chewing ("moma" or "nganga") among tribes in Ifugao, Philippines. While a cultural practice, public spitting of the red residue has caused sanitation issues. The campaign "Chew Responsibly" aims to address this through encouraging use of portable spit bottles, designated spitting areas, and stricter enforcement of anti-spitting laws. The goal is to respect cultural traditions while maintaining a clean public environment.

Uploaded by

Nikka Aubrey Tegui-in
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Community Problem: Spits of Moma in Public Infrastructures my

Vicinity: Ifugao

Campaign name: "Chew Responsibly"

Type of Social Media Used: Facebook

Content:

Betel nut chewing, also known as moma or nganga among Cordillera mountain tribes, is a long-
held tradition. The natives usually wrap the moma in "hapid" and a pinch of lime powder or "apog,"
which gives the moma a bitter taste and a red diluted stain on their teeth. To achieve that euphoric
dizziness, some people add tobacco to the mix. They claim that moma, a mild stimulant, warms them
up, increases their awareness, and reduces their appetite. But after chewing moma, what's left? A
puddle of red-orange liquid giving the wrong impression to those with less cultural background.

When chewing betel nut, discipline is very crucial. Despite the "No Spitting of Moma" legislation
that was implemented in each sitios in Nayon, red puddles and dry aftermaths are still discernible in
public infrastructures, including the road.

It is not possible to ban betel nut chewing in order to get rid of the unsanitary marks
everywhere around, thus as a community, we should think of innovative solutions to this issue.

We can start by encouraging chewers to utilize empty recyclable water bottles as free, portable
spitting containers. As long as they are prepared to discard this container once it is full, they are free to
carry the bottle and spit inside of it whenever and wherever they like. Second, a spitting area with a
similar design to the smoking area is also an option. They can sit here, chew their moma, and spit it out
on the pit. Finally, the "No Spitting of Moma" rule needs to be enforced more strictly by the barangay
officials. For persons who are seen spitting in public spaces like highways or infrastructure, there should
be a larger monetary fine or longer hours of community service.

By doing this, we can have a clean and fresh environment.

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