LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The recent conduct of the cleanup of the Balili river, Bulo creek and other major tributaries generated more than 1,668 kilos of assorted waste that were unscrupulously dumped by people along portions of the said water systems in the municipality.
The annual Balili river and Bulo creek cleanup is part of the activities lined up by the municipal government to celebrate the founding anniversary of the capital town and to send a clear message on the need to individually and collectively contribute for the preservation and protection of the environment.
The Balili river is the major river system that straddles from various barangays in Baguio City flowing down to the capital town up to Sablan town before it discharges to the Naguilian river in la Union and out to the West Philippine Sea.
Municipal environment and natural resources officials claimed that the gathered garbage by the hundreds of volunteers were placed inside some 139 sacks and were properly disposed of by the local government to ensure that it will not be brought back to the river system that will result to pollution.
Former and incumbent local officials rallied the residents living along the banks of the Balili river, Bulo creek and other tributaries and passersby not to unscrupulously dump their garbage in the waterways to prevent the worsening of the pollution and to be able to help maintain cleaner waterways in the municipality.
The gathered garbage were composed of plastics, unsegregated waste, bottles, wood, iron among others which were believed to have been unscrupulously dumped by people along portions of the rivers and their tributaries.
The local government condemned the unscrupulous practice of many people to dump their garbage in the river systems and other bodies of water in their communities at the height of heavy downpour instead of waiting for the scheduled regular collection of garbage in their respective barangays.
Volunteers are able to collect tons of garbage that have been dumped along the river systems during the annual Balili river and Bulo creek cleanup activities that has been institutionalized by the concerned government agencies and the local government.
Residents have been time and again advised to segregate their garbage at source or in their homes so that the biodegradable waste will be disposed in their respective pits while recyclable items can be sold.
Aside from conducting the regular cleanup of the river systems, the local government is also monitoring the illegal connections of sewerage systems of households who directly discharge their household wastes to the said river systems.
The Bulo creek straddles along the strawberry farm and discharges to the Balili river in an area below the bridge along Km. 6.
The local government is expected to elevate the annual activity to a higher level to ensure that the efforts to sustain the preservation and protection of the major river systems will be enhanced to ensure that the deterioration of the waterways will be prevented. By Dexter A. See
