2019 Sinulog responsible waste partnership

The Christmas and new year season will end soon. Cebu City, however, will be busy preparing for another big celebration, this year’s Sinulog, the Feast of the Sto. Niño!

The devotees and the churches will prepare for the spiritual, sacred dimension of this feast. Expect thousands, if not millions of worshippers for this year’s novenas and masses.

Other spectators will troop to Cebu City for the cultural, secular dimension of this festival. The street parade remains a consistent crowd attraction. Expect millions to participate in the street parade and procession, and all other spiritual, cultural, and festive attractions of the Sinulog celebration.

While Cebu City warmly welcomes the public to enjoy this year’s Sinulog, we would like to shout out to all to remember and help keep Cebu City and its streets clean and waste-free.

Is that petition and plea difficult to heed? Can the worshippers and the revelers manage their waste responsibly, by not littering the streets? Can everyone partner to keep the streets clean and waste-free, as their Sinulog offering to God, his planet and his people?

Protecting God’s world and our environment is a beautiful daily eco-offering we can all do. Less waste means more money saved to meet the essential needs of our people. Less budget for waste means more budget that can be used for services especially for the needy among our people.

Can we encourage everyone to take up the cause of responsible waste management now, this Sinulog, this month, this year?

Can the churches, businesses, schools, other offices, barangays, youth, women, all other sectors join the call and campaign for responsible waste management especially for the Sinulog? Can we start doing our share to keep our streets clean and keep God’s earth beautiful?

Waste management and environmental protection cannot be the responsibility and task of the local governments alone. Partnership is key to waste management and for the protection of our environment and our planet. Shall we demonstrate this beautiful, effective partnership network for a clean Sinulog and clean city starting now?

Cebu City CENRO head, Ms. Nida Cabrera mentioned that a meeting of partners for this year’s Sinulog Eco Stations has been scheduled for next Wednesday, January 9, at 3 p.m.

For 2018 Sinulog, CENRO and the city’s Solid Waste Management Board with public, private, academe, business sector, and various environmental advocates implemented the “Sinulog Garbage Watch Program” to minimize the litter in the streets.

Eco Stations (about 44) were designated along the Sinulog Grand Parade route, complete with tents and receptacles for segregated garbage-biodegradable, non-biodegradable, plastics, and recyclable wastes. Barangay Environmental Officers along with numerous volunteers from civic organizations were also deployed to remind the public to properly dispose of their garbage in the Eco Stations; otherwise, waste citation tickets were issued, with the violator made to pay or render community service for waste disposal violation.

Next week, we hope data about this 2018 Sinulog Garbage Watch Project will be presented. We hope the Department of Public Services can have a map showing 2018 Sinulog Waste Data - how much total garbage was thrown, in what streets, how much budget used, etc. - to guide this year’s Sinulog garbage watch project.

In 2015, after Sinulog, the city collected 197 tons of garbage, in 2016 it was 200 tons and in 2017, 155 tons. Did the project help decrease the 2018 Sinulog Waste volume? What were the strengths and challenges of that project?

Can you and a strengthened partnership network solve this year’s Sinulog garbage problem for God, his people, and his planet?