CAGAYAN de Oro City is aiming to become the country's "cleanest city," as members of the City Council are set to revive the monthly clean-up drive.
Councilor Dante Pajo, chairman committee on health and sanitation, said he already set dates for the monthly clean-up operations and had organized the committee's members into subcommittees to ensure the effective implementation of the program.
"This activity will help in preventing flood and the spread of diseases, especially those caused by mosquitoes," Pajo said.
The monthly clean-up drive is supported by Mayor Vicente Emano through Executive Order 013-2010 reportedly as a "reminder to all citizens in the city to be responsible individuals in really cleaning up their surroundings."
The executive order sets for the purpose an official permanent schedule for the holding of the monthly clean-up operations, which will start on August 20 in time for the city's fiesta celebration on the 28th.
Pajo said the clean-up activity will be held from 6:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. once a month to be led by the City Engineering Office and to be participated by the different government agencies and private institutions.
Among the areas included in the clean-up drive are highways, boulevards, roads, streets, river banks, creeks and coastal areas.
"The monthly clean-up drive was already implemented during the previous term of Mayor Emano but was not continued in the last administration. Cleanliness is not only the concern of the local government units but of all the residents. We must impose discipline to ourselves and to the community," Pajo said. (Nicole J. Managbanag)