CEBU, Philippines - In celebration of Earth Day, Talisay City spearheaded on Saturday morning a massive clean-up drive of Mananga River.
According to officer-in-charge Edwin Nierves of the Solid Waste Management, the increasing volume of waste in the city, along with its increasing population, is one of the challenges faced by the present administration.
In order to help address this, the Committee on Environmental Protection, Wildlife Ecology and Natural Resources Management decided to respond on the challenge and offer a day of voluntary service to the environment.
More than 100 employees from the barangays traversing Mananga participated in the clean-up drive yesterday.
The participants were composed of selected City Hall employees, barangay health workers and some barangay officials from Camp 4, Jaclupan, Manipis, Lagtang, Lawaan 2, Lawaan 3, Mohon, Tabunok, Biasong, San Isidro and Dumlog.
The clean-up drive was headed by City Counilor Antonio Bacaltos Jr., chairman of the Committee on Environmental Protection, Wildlife Ecology and Natural Resources Management.
Bacaltos said through the clean-up drive, the city government would be able to monitor the series of complaints they have received from residents.
Mananga River, considered as a major resource of the city, has lately been subject of controversies. The rampant illegal extraction of sand and gravel at the Mananga riverbed and illegal dumping of garbage there have been tagged as among the complaints.
The clean-up drive aimed to raise awareness among the residents that Mananga River should always be kept clean, said Bacaltos.
Loads of garbage containing items, such as coconut husks and plastics, were collected from the clean-up drive. (FREEMAN)