DENR-7 spearheads massive river clean-up in C. Visayas
CEBU CITY — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas (DENR-7) will initiate local river clean-up on February 22, urging all local government units and private institutions to do the same in their respective river systems to be a part of the government’s region-wide river rehabilitation campaign.
“We have identified 10 priority rivers in the region that need to be closely handled by the DENR along with our partners but we do not discount the need to clean up all other river systems especially those situated in the downstream areas,” DENR-7 regional executive director Gilbert Gonzales said.
The series of simultaneous river clean-ups will be on February 22, March 22 and April 19 in Central Visayas. DENR has identified Category B classified rivers in Cebu, Bohol, Negros and Siquijor for this.
Category B rivers are those which have been identified with a certain degree of pollution where the coliform level is below the 100 most probable number (MPN) as determined by laboratory tests, according to DENR-Bohol PENRO Charlie Fabre.
Fabre said these include Bautanon River in Mandaue, Bulacao River in Bulacao and Luyang River in Luyang Carmen, in Cebu; Abatan River in Cortes, Wahig River in Inabanga and Manaba River in Garcia Hernandez in Bohol; Banica River in Valencia, Panamangan River in Bais and Sicopong River in Santa Catalina in Negros Oriental as well as Señora River in Siqiijor.
Gonzales encouraged other government agencies, private sectors and other stakeholders to extend necessary support in cleaning up rivers and waterways particularly in urban centers.
“We urge our local government units, organizations and industries to join our campaign towards promoting environmental sustainability, public health and safety,” he added.
Gonzales also appealed to the communities living along the riverbanks including the business establishments to share a collective effort by not throwing their garbage directly to these waterways.
He asked them instead to join in clean-up drives and strictly comply with environmental regulations given that most of these rivers and creeks are tributaries of lakes, seas and oceans.
While most river clean-up events are initiated by government agencies, the DENR intends to gather as much volunteers and mobilize communities for the Visayas-wide events this time.
According to Gonzales the activity has a Presidential directive and a department order to strictly enforce Republic Act 9272 or the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004.
Gonzales said they are discouraging volunteer participants to use single-use surgical gloves, black garbage bags and other clean-up materials that turn to be additional trash after each event.
He, however, suggests that volunteers wear appropriate personal protection: Boots or shoes, gloves, hats, caps or headgear for sun protection and, tongs and used sacks as trash container.
Local and barangay officials where these rivers snake through are urged to help coordinate volunteers in areas of assignment and future rehabilitation activities which they can implement, Gonzales added.