Lapu-Lapu conducts clean-up campaign

Garbage comes from Mandaue, Cebu City?

 CEBU, Philippines - Sixty-four divers yesterday gathered a hundred kilos of garbage from the sea waters off barangay Mactan in Lapu-Lapu City.

According to Task Force Kalikasan coordinator Andy Berame, the garbage was not generated by Lapu-Lapu City because settlers are far from the coastal area.

The garbage could have come from the cities of Cebu and Mandaue by way of a river that ends at the Mactan and Hilutungan channels.

The government of Lapu-Lapu City in coordination with the Lapu-Lapu City Police, Lapu-Lapu Task Force Kalikasan, Philippine Coastguard, Coastguard Auxiliary, and Philippine Red Cross conducted a clean-up in line with the celebration of “Kadaugan sa Mactan” and Earth Day.

A program, hosted by Crimson Resort and Spa, kicked off the drive.

According to SPO1 Viovicente Rodito, Senior Police Community Relation-Police Non-Commission Officer, the main objective of cleaning the underwater is to preserve the coastal water in the city of Lapu-Lapu.

According to Engineer Roderico Taga-an, Lapu-Lapu city’s environment officer, said the divers gathered about 100 kilos of garbage which included diapers, empty bottles, nylons, nets, containers, cans.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza hopes the activity will persist.

The divers were given certificates after the clean-up.

With Radaza were James Montenegro, General Manager of Crimson Resort and Spa, Hon. Junrey Gestopa, City Councilor and Chair on Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Environment, and Fritzi Kon, Tourism Officer of Lapu-Lapu City during the awarding.

Diver PO3 Brian Cinco achieved fulfillment after the activity “Satisfying kayo. Makatabang sa paglimpyo sa dagat. (It was so satisfying. It can help cleaning our ocean.”

“We should stop or lessen throwing garbage anywhere because heavy rain will take the garbage towards the ocean,” Berame said in Cebuano.

Rodito said that there’s a reduction of garbage from the ocean floor because of the intensive coastal clean-up.

He added that we should maintain the cleanliness of our ocean to gain more visitors.

The activity is sponsored by the government of Lapu-Lapu and other tourism industries.

There will be an International clean-up on September 15,.

 “If we will not care for our marine ecosystems, the corals will die and we will lose the treasure we have in the ocean, which is our main tourist attraction,” Berame said. (FREEMAN)