As we clean the environment and the wetlands around us, we prepare the ground for a better place. This is the aim of the participants to the Clean-up activity held in Conner and Kabugao, of Apayao. The Barangay Officials of Buluan, Conner, Apayao responded to the clean up call seeing the merit of the activity. Through the joint effort of CENRO Conner, the officials and 105 volunteers of barangay Buluan, Conner, Apayao, the clean-up drive is successfully conducted along the stretch of Buluan creek traversing the barangay.
During the Clean-up day, the teams gathered garbage which include plastic, food wrappers, plastic bottles, beverage cans, grocery bags, some plastic cups and plates. The two (2) working groups noted that the debris they collected are dominated by wet diapers which made the garbage heavy. All the items that can be recycled were brought at the Trading Post where the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) established.
The barangay officials promised to strictly monitor the implementation of RA 9003 that has been locally adopted by the LGUs of the municipality. And they vowed to maintain the cleanliness of the creek traversing their barangay.
The lecturer concluded and repeated, clean bodies of water, and waterways are a manifestation of well mange wetlands and ensure resilient community that bounce back disaster. She too noted that the clean-up should not only be done during celebrations but a habit and a continuing activity of the whole community.
In Kabugao, Apayao, through the tie –up with the LGU in Luttuacan, Kabugao, Apayao and the PENRO Apayao, the cleanup activity focused along the canal in front of the barangay hall. Accorfing to the barangay captain, the water on this canal drains at the culvert going to the Binuan river ultimately to the Apayao River.”
It was raining on the scheduled clean-up day but they were stirred during the briefing thus the participants do not want to suspend the activity. The Garbage collected includes plastics wrappers, weeds, twigs, branches, and plastic bottles. The weeds, the decomposed twigs and branches were disposed at the back of the barangay hall for composting. The collected items in sacks were brought at the compost pit as they are entirely unusable.
After the clean-up activity, CENRO personnel led by CENR Officer Danilo Somera conducted information drive. In as much as the community reacted much with the volume of the garbage collected, the leaders of the group requested the viewing of the documented activity to include the photo and video before, during and after the clean-up.
It was explained by Ms. Lily Napigue that solid waste, if not properly managed will be a problem from ridge to reef. “Basura sa Ibang Bayan Problema Hanggang sa Karagatan”. She further emphasized that creeks or bodies of water, wetlands are part of ecosystem and it is everybody’s responsibility to safeguard the whole environment. She mentioned that rivers, creeks serve as natural sponge, absorbing and storing excess rainfall and reducing flooding. That the mere dumping of any solid waste along these bodies of water will greatly affect their functions, that is to store excessive water during rainy days thus delaying the onset of droughts and reducing water shortage. Once these wetlands are polluted, they will adversely affect the livelihood of the whole community.
The Barangay Captain says “it is true that we actually did not clean at the river or creek but the water from the cleaned-up area drains at the Binuan river and ultimately to the Apayao river, thus the clean-up will contribute much in the conservation of the river and positive impact to the health and sanitation of the community. He reminded his constituents to strictly monitor and implement the barangay ordinance on clean and green program anchored from the adopted RA 9003.
By Lily & Alma
