CEBU, Philippines — Residents and business establishments situated near the Bulacao River will be taught how to dispose of trash properly.
This was according to Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office head Ma. Nida Cabrera, who said her office will conduct an information and education campaign to educate the public on proper waste disposal so trash will not be thrown into the river.
This is the aftercare method of CCENRO after volunteers fished out and cleaned out 22 tons of trash dumped into the Bulacao River during their cleanup last Saturday.
Cabrera said she is also requesting Bulacao Barangay Captain Rodrigo Jabellana to hold regular information dissemination to the residents and business establishments.
“Nag-request mi mismo ni Kapitan Jabellana sa pagpahibaw nga dili g’yud palabayan didto. Naa’y team nga mag-conduct og orientation didto nga side kay basin inig talikod namo, mobalik nasad og panglabay,” she said.
She also plans to ask the barangay to install Closed Circuit Television cameras along the entire stretch of the Bulacao River so that they can monitor who are the erring individuals.
After the orientation days from now, CCENRO will be posting education campaign materials reminding people that trash should not be thrown into the river.
“Subo kaayo pamalandungon nga naa g’yuy portion sa Bulacao River nga nahimo ng dumpsite, mao to nga naglimpyo g’yud ta last Saturday,” Cabrera said.
CCENRO will soon meet with owners of business establishments that have been identified dumping trash into the Bulacao River.
During the cleanup, around 2,000 volunteers from CCENRO, non-governmental organizations, Business Process Outsourcing companies, and others helped clear the river of trash.
The Bulacao River was the first river in the city where CCENRO conducted cleanup in line with the national program rehabilitating and restoring the rivers.
The next cleanup will be at the Lahug River on March 9 and Guadalupe River on March 16. Aside from the cleanup, CCENRO will also install bio-fences along the stretches of these rivers.
These bio-fences, which are made of recycled plastic bottles that are wrapped in fishnets, will trap garbage thrown into the river.
Meanwhile, at least 50 staff from CCENRO will be helping volunteers from the military clean the Butuanon River in Barangay Talamban this coming Friday.
The cleanup is being initiated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines as their part of the river rehabilitation and restoration.
“Naa’y March 1 nga pagahimoon sa Butuanon River, ni-request ang Philippine Army nga sila’y mo-handle kay in line pud sa ilahang anniversary, i-focus sa cleanup,” Cabrera said. — BRP (FREEMAN)