BARANGAY officials in Manila were called upon by Mayor Honey Lacuna to help instill discipline among residents for them to dispose of their garbage properly and stop polluting the country’s bodies of water.
Lacuna made the appeal as she led the 37th International Coastal Clean-up activity at the Baseco Beach over the weekend, where she thanked and cited the efforts of Department of Public Services officer-in-charge Kayle Nicole Amurao, barangay officials, the Team Mandaragat, Baseco Beach Warriors and the Estero Rangers for their continued concern for keeping the bays and rivers within the jurisdiction of Manila clean of all kinds of trash.
In her short message before the cleanup began, the lady mayor said that the yearly cleanup activity began in 1986 or 37 years ago but that sadly, despite all efforts to save the bodies of water not only by Manila but by other cities and even countries as well, the problem of pollution remains.
“Ang pangunahing dahilan ng polusyon sa tubig ay pawang disiplina ng sangkatauhan. Kaya’t kasabay nitong paglilinis natin ngayong umaga ay ang panawagan natin sa lahat ng mamamayan di lamang sa mga nakatira malapit sa mga pampang, kundi sa lahat ng taong bayan na ayusing mabuti ang pagtatapong kani-kanilang basura araw-araw,” Lacuna said. The mayor, who was joined in the activity by Manila Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) chief Arnel Angeles, DPS OIC Kayle Nicole Amurao, former DPS chief Kenneth Amurao and special mayor’s reaction team (SMART) chief Col. Jhun Ibay, among others, also used the occasion to call on all the officials of the 896 barangays in the city of Manila to constantly guide and remind their constituents and enjoin their support and cooperation in caring for the environment.
“Maging bahagi tayong lahat,di lamang angpamahalaan, kundi bawat isang mamamayan, magkaroon ng sinserong pakikisangkot at pakikibahagi sa pangangalaga ng ating kalikasan,” she said.
Lacuna particulary cited the dedication and sacrifices of DPS personnel who plunge into dirty waters just to collect garbage or declog drainages so that floods can be avoided.
“Saludo ako sa inyong tiyaga at malasakit. Maraming, maraming salamat,” she said, in reference to those constantly cleaning up not only the waters but also the drainages and sewers in the city. (Baby Cuevas)
