Blatchley hits Brgy. 37-D anew

ENVIRONMENTAL advocate and Datu Bago awardee Darrell Blatchley fired another salvo against Barangay 37-D.

On Friday, Blatchley posted on his Facebook account a photo, allegedly taken at 3:36 p.m. of that day, showing bags of garbage dumped along a barangay street just right below the signage that prohibits people from throwing garbage in the area as ordered by the City Environment and Natural Resources Office.

“Barangay 37-D DAMAK (sloppy), undisciplined,” the dismayed Blatchley posted, lambasting the lack of enforcement

by barangay officials.

Last year, Blatchley and Barangay 37-D Captain Prime Atillo engaged in verbal tussle after the former called the resignation of the official over her alleged inaction over garbage that clogged up the canals of the barangay.

Blatchley operates the D’ Bone Collector Museum in Barangay 76-A (Bucana), Talomo District in the boundary of Barangay 37-D, Poblacion District.

Around April of last year, the American marine expert posted photos on his clean-up drive of a garbage-clogged canal in Barangay 37-D. The post became viral. Nut because of that, he went through scrutiny as his “honesty was publicly questioned” by local officials on his efforts for the clean-up.

Atillo said the waste trapped at the canal usually come from adjacent barangays. She claimed they have been addressing the garbage problem.

The barangay captain and Marivic Reyes, officerin-charge of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office, also questioned the timing of his post, as they suspected the photos could be old.

With this, Blatchley demanded for the resignation and public apology from the officials.

“You basically called me a liar. You then went on to claim I did it to defame Bucana,” the American said.

“Pinoy pride should be in our cleanliness. Change happens through discipline not excuses,” Blatchley added.

He added, “I love it here, for that very reason I am a public servant doing my part to make the Philippines cleaner and better,” as he urged City Mayor Sara Duterte and Davaoeños to take action.

The Datu Bago awardee did not get the apology he sought. The barangay captain also did not resign.