Cebu City barangays gear up for citywide cleanup challenge

CEBU, Philippines — Weeks before the scheduled citywide cleanup challenge, an estimated 21 tons of garbage have already been collected from Sitio All-Season 3, Barangay Cogon Pardo alone.

Most of the garbage hauled were plastics, tires, styrofoam, as well as some dilapidated plywood, among others.

This is the result of the back-to-back cleanup operations in the Tagunol creek done earlier, as reported by the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) river trooper Ligaya Britana.

The installation of a bio fence in the area also proved to be effective as it prevented garbage from reaching the ocean.

The CCENRO notes that this is just a start as the city-wide cleanup drive set on June 22, 2024 will be participated by 80 barangays.

But apart from cleaning up rivers and other areas in the city, the CCENRO aims to put emphasis on the importance of segregation as an objective for the 16th City-Wide cleanup challenge.

In a press conference last May 28,2024, CCENRO head Reymar Hijara said the city-wide cleanup will be a synchronized cleanup drive and will include areas from the mountains, to the city’s downtown area, including rivers and coastal areas. He added that soon, they will also include divers to collect garbage from the ocean.

“Naandan na ni nato. Ika-16 na ni nato na cleanup so a lot of people know the drill already,” said Hijara.

According to Hijara, since they want to focus on segregation, they will be implementing the strict segregation of the collected garbage, including its recording.

He explained that the responsibility of segregation will fall on the participating individual, which will also serve as their respective attendance to the event.

“Katuyoan ani nato is dili lang pagpanglimpyo ang atong katuyoan kung dili atong gisugod kung unsa ang gipanglabay nga basura sa atong environment no kay diha nato ma ilhan kung unsa atong mga inisyatibo ug unsa atong nga programa,” he said.

Hijara further said that this year’s clean-up challenge will mostly be led by the barangays. This means that the barangay officials will organize their respective areas during the cleanup.

According to Hijara, it has been underscored by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) during their meeting that it is not only the barangays officials that will participating the cleanup but should be every household.

“Ato gyung i-encourage og maayo nga kada tagbalay mu participate sa atong cleanup kay di man gyud madala nato no kung kita ra sa government or kani lang mga volunteers,” said Hijara. —/ATO (FREEMAN)