Several days before the big feast of the Sto. Nino, let us continue to remind ourselves and others about the importance of the link of devotion to protection of God’s earth.
As a form of prayer and devotion for this Sinulog, let us all keep God’s world clean. Do not throw and leave your garbage out in the streets. For revelers and guests, respect God’s world and keep the streets clean.
These three reminders:
1) Bring your own water bottle as there will be refilling stations all throughout the Sinulog Parade route; 2) keep your trash with you until you can dispose of it properly at home or at an eco-station nearest you or 3) be a Basura Watch volunteer by making new friends with other eco-activists, and getting to do something good for God, His people and His planet.
For inquiries about the Sinulog Basura Watch campaign, please contact Jonathaniel Apurado at ccenro2016@gmail.com or call 253-6362 or 411-0156. Ms. Nida Cabrera, CCENRO head, welcomes and advises all who want to volunteer to just go directly to any designated eco-station for registration and instructions from assigned leaders.
We continue to hope and pray that the Sinulog crowd will show remarkable responsibility for their waste and help reduce littering this time.
Never mind those who mock and laugh at attempts to remind people to take care of their basura and keep God’s world clean or those who say it is impossible and pathetic to expect people to keep the streets clean this Sinulog.
May God touch the Sinulog devotees (who come expecting His miracles and answers to their prayers) to realize the connection between their devotion and the pollution they create with their garbage.
Never mind if the world thinks this is a hopeless campaign. Let us continue to call out and remind all to keep our streets, our world, God’s world clean and protected.
Join us pray for conversion and miracle.
Can we call out to churches, businesses, schools, communities and other partners as well to join the Sinulog Basura Watch campaign?
The churches especially can do so much by simply asking the devotees to check and gather any basura they see during their worship and out in the streets. Do this for Sto. Nino.
The Sinulog can be an important occasion for Archbishop Palma’s Ecological Spirituality Campaign. Asking the people, before the blessing or during Mass, to look around, pick up and bring the trash home or to designated trash containers or eco-stations may start a revolution of the heart and spirit to keep God’s earth and our streets and communities clean and free of litter.
The churches can continue this reminder during and beyond the Sinulog. Who knows, people may be finally moved to clean up God’s world.
Many are asking how the hazardous hospital wastes ended in the waters off Mactan, in the coastal areas of Barangays Ibo and Poblacion in Lapu-Lapu City, and along Butuanon River in Mandaue City.
This improper hospital waste disposal has been observed in Banawa Hills as early as 1990s and for sure, this objectionable practice continues elsewhere as well.
Given the serious impact on health of people, communities and resources, revocation of licenses for the hauling companies and heavy penalties for all those involved should be imposed.
For failing to regularly and strictly monitor the proper disposal of hospital and other collected waste, serious sanctions should also be considered for DENR, EMB and local CENRO officials and staff.
All others who irresponsibly manage all waste types and violate existing laws also deserve corresponding serious sanctions and penalties.