TAYTAY, Rizal – THE community’s participation in the environmental activities, including the clean up and maintenance of the cleanliness of the Manila Bay tributaries, may become their legacy, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Rizal head Isidro Mercado said during a clean-up drive along Hulong Bangiad Creek in Brgy. San Juan, here, in advance celebration of the first anniversary of the #BattleForManilaBay, recently.
Mercado said the residents could make an impact in the lives of the other communities and of the future generations through their active, unceasing and sincere efforts to take care of the environment.
“Dapat may isang bagay na ginagawa ka na hindi malilimutan. Siguro, ito na ‘yon. Ipakita natin sa ibang lugar na mahal natin ang ating kapaligiran”, Mercado urged Brgy. San Juan locals.
Jointly organized by the DENR-PENRO Rizal and the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office of Taytay, Rizal headed by MENRO Rodolfo De Leon, Jr., the clean-up activity was participated in by a total of 155 persons from the Cash-for-Work Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Municipal and Barangay Government Offices, Exan Builders Corporation, Atgas Compressed Gas Corporation, Marcbuild Construction, Inc., and Damayan Homeowners Association.
The activity was also graced by Rizal Provincial Vice Governor Reynaldo San Juan, Jr., Rizal Board Member Jun Cabitac, Municipal General Services Officer Vic Badagwas, Brgy. San Juan Chairperson Rasel Valera, and Purok 17 Chairperson Marlon Gocalin.
The volunteers were able to collect a total of 1,207 kg of solid waste along an 867-m stretch of the creek.
Rizal Vice Gov. San Juan reinforced Mercado’s call saying, “Sana ang ating responsibilidad sa pangangalaga ng ating kalikasan ay tumimo sa isip, sa puso, sa salita at, higit sa lahat, sa gawa. Hindi lang puro salita, dapat ang bawat isa dito ay makiisa at tumulong”.
He said, for six years now, the Provincial Government of Rizal is ‘slowly but surely’ doing activities towards the rehabilitation of the province’s water bodies through their OPLAN BUSILAK (Buhayin ang Sapa, Ilog, Lawa at Karagatan) under the YES (Ynares Eco-System) to Green Program of Governor Nini Ynares in support of the programs of the Department.
Another clean-up drive will be conducted along San Cristobal River in Calamba, Laguna on January 24, 2020 in advance celebration of the Manila Bay Rehabilitation Program. The actual celebration will be undertaken on January 26, 2020, 6:00 am at BASECO Compound, Manila.##
