MORE than 1,700 government employees, students, and volunteers joined forces in a recent coastal cleanup drive that collected 582 sacks of garbage weighing 3,201 kilograms in Barangay 76-A, one of Davao City’s biggest barangays.
The participants took part in the activity as a meaningful way to celebrate the 125th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary (CSC) and in observance of the International Coastal Cleanup Day.
The Civil Service Commission, in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the region, spearheaded the second year of the cleanup drive in Brgy. 76-A, having a long stretch of coastline in the city’s poblacion area.
Barangay Captain Robert E. Olanolan expressed gratitude to the organizers and participants for extending an environmental awareness and outreach activity in his community.
Although the barangay official said that they already have a resolution ordinance for waste management, they plan to strengthen their solid waste initiatives.
Among these include a skills training program in partnership with the Endonela Institute of Technology Foundation Inc., which will train welders to help construct material recovery facilities (MRFs) in all 105 puroks.
“Para i-apply na gyud namo ang segregation (So we could already apply the segregation),” Olanolan said.
To build on these efforts, Olanolan shared that he also visited Japan to study waste management and waste-to-energy technologies that can be applied in the barangay.
He said they have requested the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) to deputize barangay personnel to apprehend and issue citations to waste violators.
For Ariana Samantha Nabuya, a student of Mintal Comprehensive Senior High School, joining the cleanup drive was her way to help the community.
She expressed concern about the people’s health, saying, “they could get sick because of the garbage around.”
Mila Ceniza, a street sweeper monitoring focal for Barangay 76-A, conveyed her gratitude to those who joined the coastal cleanup, saying it was a big help to their community. PIA DAVAO