THE National Government’s clean up drive has been long overdue.
It took President Rodrigo Duterte's strong political will to start it. First, the Boracay clean up which entailed the hard sacrifice of closing it for six months to allow massive efforts of cleaning. Other similar tourists' attractions were targeted for upgrading, improving and cleaning: Puerta Gallera in Mindoro, El Nido in Palawan and Panglao Island in Bohol.
All these spots were encountering substandard health and sanitary issues and so a drastic but comprehensive clean up schedules were observed to put them back to their previous luster and nice look and appearance, even it entails closing them altogether minus the usual income for the owners and stakeholders. A painful decision, this closing up, but it had to be taken. It is the right decision to take for the environment.
On the local front, the Mabalacat City government officials led by Mayor Crisostomo C. Garbo urged the employees and other workers to actively participate in the cleanliness drive, including the Manila Bay clean up.
The groups, led by the City Environment and Natural Resources Office did massive clearing and cleaning on Quitangil Creek and other tributaries.
Memo No. 01 called on all city hall employees (permanent, casual and job order), MCC employees, BFP and PNP members to participate in the Barangay level kick-off activities for the launching of the Manila Bay Rehabilitation Project in compliance to 5.2.2.2 of DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2019-07 dated January 23,2019.
Still on the Manila Bay rehab, DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu announced the launch of the project dubbed "Battle for Manila Bay" which is expected to bring together more than 5,000 participants, mostly personnel from DENR, 12 other government agencies and LGUs tasked by the Supreme Court to clean up Manila Bay.
This is a battle that will be won, not with force or arms, but with the firm resolve to bring Manila Bay back to life, claimed Secretary Roy Cimatu.
Some P42.95 billion has been allocated by President Duterte for the implementation of the project within three years.
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Consider this doable idea. Reelectionist Senator Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito has urged private companies to consider hiring retired workers who are still physically and mentally fit for work.
Ejercito clarified that certain private firms should allot a certain percentage of their manpower requirement to these retirees who are still capable of working full time.
He consider the retirees' vast experience, technical knowhow and expertise as factors for hiring the latter. Why not take on this doable idea, Sirs.
As always, Senator Ejercito talks sense and makes logical legislative work!