Over 9k kilos of trash collected from CV waterways on World Environment Day

CEBU, Philippines — At least 1,302 sacks of trash were collected by a total of 2,277 volunteers during a large-scale cleanup campaign led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas (DENR-7) in various rivers and coastal areas across SugBohol on Friday, June 5, in celebration of World Environment Day.

The agency reported that the sacks of waste generated during the activity were equivalent to 9,811.54 kilograms or nearly 9.8 metric tons of trash diverted from the environment.

Anchored on the theme, "Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future," this year's celebration of Philippine Environment Month brought together government personnel, community leaders, private establishments, partner organizations, and local residents in a collective effort to protect the environment.

In a Facebook post, DENR-7 said volunteers from communities across Cebu and Bohol joined forces to clean rivers, waterways, and coastal areas in their respective localities.

In Cebu, 1,528 volunteers from various partner organizations and government agencies collected a total of 1,151 sacks of trash. Meanwhile, 749 volunteers in Bohol gathered 151 sacks during the campaign.

Based on DENR's site-by-site breakdown, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)-7, which led the cleanup at the Butuanon River, recorded the largest volume of waste collected, gathering 641 sacks of trash with the help of 681 volunteers.

Other cleanup sites also reported significant accomplishments.

The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) Cebu and the Coastal Resources and Ecotourism Research, Development, and Extension Center (CRERDEC), assigned at the Kinalumsan River, collected 170 sacks of trash through the efforts of 170 volunteers, while DENR-7 personnel at the Lahug River gathered 95 sacks with 188 volunteers.

Also participating in the activity were the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) at the Luyang River, which collected 126 sacks with 249 volunteers; the Camotes Island Protected Landscape and Seascape (CIPLS) and CENRO Cebu team at Tulang Diot Islet, which collected 45 sacks with 110 volunteers; and CENRO Argao at Pugalo, Alcoy, which gathered 74 sacks with 130 volunteers.

In Bohol, CENRO Talibon collected 65 sacks of trash at the Wahig River with 165 volunteers, while CENRO Tagbilaran gathered 40 sacks at the Manaba River with 250 volunteers. PENRO Bohol, assigned at the Abatan River, collected 46 sacks with the participation of 334 volunteers.

DENR-7 expressed its gratitude to all participants and partner organizations who contributed to the success of the initiative, emphasizing the importance of community involvement in advancing climate action and environmental protection.

"Cleaning up our waterways isn't just a one-day event; it's an ongoing commitment to building a resilient future," DENR-7 said in its social media post. (CEBu NEWS)