BUTUANON RIVER CLEAN-UP DRAWS 300 VOLUNTEERS

Some 300 volunteers showed up to help clean the Butuanon River in Mandaue City, the starting point of a region-wide campaign to clean up 10 priority rivers in Central Visayas that started on Friday, Feb. 22.

Led by Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 Director Gilbert Gonzales, the volunteers picked up garbage and debris in some parts of the Butuanon River for an hour starting at 6:30 a.m.

Most the volunteers were government employees, police officers, soldiers, students and workers from various private establishments in Mandaue City.

Gonzales said the clean-up was a response to the order of DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu to all regional director clean up polluted rivers or lose their positions.

Department of Tourism (DOT) 7 Director Shahlimar Tamano, who also joined the activity, said the river clean-up was one way of promoting sustainable tourism in the region.

Volunteers also cleaned the Luyang River in Carmen town and today, Feb. 23, hundreds are expected to help clean the Bulacao River in Cebu City.

Gonzales said the 10 priority rivers were classified as Class C, or rivers where people can still fish.

Class B rivers are those where people can bathe while Class A rivers are those whose water is safe for drinking.

Gonzales said there are at least 500 rivers in Central Visayas.

Gonzales said they will start deputizing 500 Clean and Green personnel who are authorized to issue citation tickets to individuals and companies caught dumping garbage and other wastes in river systems within their jurisdiction.

In Mandaue City, many residents vowed to ensure that the Butuanon River and other river systems will be clean again.

A three-kilometer stretch of the river is within the jurisdiction of Barangays Ibabao Estancia, Alang-alang, Paknaan and Umapad.

David Rondina, 11, and Mechaella Abatayo, 12, both students of the Opao Elementary School, said they will continue to participate in the river clean-up activities.

“Even if they can’t participate in the clean-up drive, kids can always do their share by not throwing their wastes in the river,” Abatayo said. /

SUNSTAR FOTO / ALLAN CUIZON SAVING A RIVER. Students, residents, government workers and personnel of private companies respond to calls to clean major river systems in the region, including the Butuanon River in Mandaue City.