AROUND 250 volunteers participated in “Tug-an: A Promise Of Less Plastic Waste,” a project of the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) on Sunday, November 11.
Together with officials and local residents of Purok Mabinuligon 2 in Barangay Sum-ag, Bacolod City, the PMA did a riverside cleanup in time for the opening of the Barangay Martesan Festival.
More than 300 sacks were filled up.
In relation to the city ordinance banning single-use plastic bags in Bacolod, the barangay passed a resolution to ban single-use plastic straws for the duration of their festival. This will extend post-festivities into a barangay ordinance.
At the end of the activity, the community and its officials made the pledge to collectively and individually take deliberate action to reduce and reuse their plastic waste.
A mural was created by the Association of Negros Artists, which included handprints from the community to symbolize the promise made. This will go down in history as “Ang Tug-an sang Sum-ag.”
This activity was done in partnership with Hope for The Flowers, Inc and Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation Inc.