MABALACAT -- The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has tapped hundreds of its personnel from different units at Clark Freeport in clearing the MacArthur Highway from Barangay Balibago in Angeles City to Barangay Mabiga here of campaign materials.
Some 300 soldiers belonging to the 1st Air Division and six other major units of the Air Force removed posters, stickers, and other campaign ads tucked on electric posts, trees, along the national highway.
Lieutenant Allan Ballesteros, public information officer of the PAF 1st Air Division, said that the activity is part of the ecological program dubbed Healthy, Orderly, and Pollution-free Environment (Hope) launched by the air division.
The other PAF units, which supported the program include the Air Logistics Command, Air Reserve Command, 710th Special Operations Wing, 410th Maintenance Wing, 420th Supply Wing, and the 600th Air Base Wing, according to Ballesteros.
Brigadier General Joel Marayag, acting commander of the PAF 1st Air Division, led the soldiers in cleaning the highway.
He said that the PAF men spent their regular jogging schedule in cleaning MacArthur highway.
“We are going beyond our mandated mission to promote a healthy, orderly and pollution-free environment with this post-election clean up activity hoping that the local residents will catch up and clean their area for a healthier lifestyle” said Marayag.
The PAF airmen were joined by their police counter parts from Philippine National Police Station Number 4 of the Angeles City Police Office, and Mabalacat Police Office.
The Solid Waste Management Office of Mabalacat headed by Rudy Capid also assisted in the activity initiated by the PAF.
Walls, trees, electric posts, electric wires and even houses were cleared of campaign materials.
The Peace and Development Team (PDT) members of Barangay Dau here also showed up to help the PAF personnel in promoting HOPE.
The trash and campaign materials were taken to the material recovery facilities of the Air Force City in Clark and the local government for recycling and processing. (Reynaldo G. Navales)