EDITORIAL - Passion to participate

Following the general cleanup at the Bulacao River in the south last month, the Cebu City government has turned its sights on Lahug River, a 17-kilometer long body of water snaking through the heart of the city that has long been considered as dying.

On Friday, the call to clean up the Lahug River drew 2,000 volunteers from all walks of life, mostly students, who gathered tons of trash alongside personnel of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO).

After the dust settled, the volunteers recovered nearly 25 tons of garbage from the river. There was more garbage compared to the 22 tons collected from the Bulacao River because, according to CENRO, the Lahug River is dirtier.

Following the Lahug River, it will be Guadalupe River’s turn to get a cleanup in the coming days. The river is one of the city’s major bodies of water that need to be immediately rehabilitated as it has been heavily polluted for years.

City residents are hopeful that this campaign will achieve an unprecedented success worthy to be replicated in other local government units where there are polluted rivers and creeks that need to be rehabilitated.

Of course, the ongoing drive of Cebu City Hall should not be just for compliance with the national government’s directive for LGUs to undertake cleanup campaign along coastal areas, rivers, and creeks, among others.

This environmental mission should not just stop after the river cleanup. It must go on. In fact, what lies ahead is even bigger and the most crucial portion of the crusade, which is the need to sustain the rehabilitation efforts.

However, aside from being a continuing advocacy, protecting the environment should be everybody’s concern. We should not leave the task only to the stakeholders. The mission will only be successful if everyone has the passion to participate.