Mahiga Creek yields tons of trash

MAHIGA Creek yielded two tons of garbage with almost 56 kilos of recyclable plastic bottles after a downpour hit Metro Cebu on Friday, July 8, 2022.

The rubbish was collected during a cleanup drive by the personnel of Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City on Saturday, July 9.

Subangdaku Barangay Captain Ernie Manatad said they conduct their Mahiga Creek cleanup drive every weekend, often using one to three dump trucks. They often gather six tons of waste and around 50 to 150 kilos of recyclables in the river per week.

Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes had said in his inaugural address that one of his top priorities for his new term was the rehabilitation of Mahiga Creek and Butuanon River. Both bodies of water traverse the cities of Cebu and Mandaue.

In 2015, the Mandaue City Planning and Development Coordinator’s Office and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Development Office said Mahiga Creek and Butuanon River were just two bodies of water that were major contributors to flooding in Cebu.

For Mahiga, Cortes has said the Mandaue City Government would continue the establishment of a water waste drainage system that aims to eradicate waste from the bottom up to the topmost part of the creek.

The City also plans to relocate residents living near Mahiga Creek, considered one of Cebu’s danger zones, to a safer place.

Cortes has also said the City will establish a green linear park (an urban park that is considerably longer than it is wide) alongside the river.

The mayor said his office has coordinated with Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama to fully unclog Mahiga Creek.

“I have always advocated for environmental sustainability. We in Mandaue City remain firm with our commitment to rehabilitate our rivers. Remember that the key to resiliency is our mindset,” he said.

The local government has always urged people, particularly those living near the river, to be responsible for their waste and take part in reviving Mahiga and Butuanon.