ILOILO City – To mark Earth Day this Saturday, the city government and environmental organizations Greenpeace-Iloilo and The Tree Huggers Movement will have pro-environmental activities.
Engr. Neil Ravena, head of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), said the city government will conduct a cleanup from 5:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in collaboration with various stakeholders.
The cleanup drive will be at the esplanades parallel to the Iloilo River.
Ravena said the CENRO will also take advantage of this activity to conduct waste analysis and characterization study or WACS to determine the volume and kinds of waste present and generated in different sections of the esplanades.
This will help the city frame interventions to improve waste management in the river system including creeks and esteros.
This year’s Earth Day cleanup drive is being supported by the following schools: University of San Agustin, John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University and St. Therese-MTC Colleges. From the private sector, Aboitiz and Robinsons Mall are supporting this year’s cause.
Ravena stressed the city aims to make this year’s cleanup drive more meaningful and engaging by involving wider stakeholders to take part in preserving and maintaining the beauty and pride of the city that is the Iloilo Esplanade.
He noted the city is being cited by various recognition bodies because of the Iloilo River and the esplanades.
Envisioned originally as a river protection measure, the esplanades have evolved into inclusive green open spaces.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the city government hold regular cleanup of the river.
Greenpeace-Iloilo, on the other hand, will hold Earth Day activities over the weekend.
Jarrah Brillantes, Greenpeace Iloilo spokesperson, said their activities include mangrove planting and cleanup along Esplanade 9 in the City Proper district.
The initiative is in partnership with Sigma Rho Alumni Association.
Brillantes stressed that people are now well aware that there is a need to protect the environment, however this is not translated into action.
“While we are subject to the tingi-culture of Filipinos, and the provision of no better option than single-use plastic, we need to have structural changes when it comes to the plastic economy, to clean energy, and sustainable city. These are good concepts to prevent further degradation of our natural resources, but this needs to be translated and observed a mental model to directly affect our lifestyle,” she opined.
On Thursday, April 20, the group, in partnership with The Tree Huggers Movement, conducted a campaign posters-making workshop in Roxas City, Capiz. Over 50 students from different schools in the city participated.
For today’s Earth Day observance, they will also hold an activity dubbed as Bagtas Kalikasan: Capiz Moving Forward for Mother Earth, in collaboration with the Capiz Lioness Lions Club and Greenpeace Philippines.
Bagtas Kalikasan is a unity walk that will start at 7 a.m. from the Roxas City Plaza to SM Roxas City. Participants are strongly urged to display their best environmental slogan.
“This is our opportunity to raise awareness among our fellowmen about the need of environmental protection,” The Tree Huggers Movement said.
Greenpeace Iloilo will also conduct Volunteers’ Orientation today wherein people will be introduced to what Greenpeace is doing and how they do it.
“Since Iloilo local group is new, we would like to hear the collective voices on what initiatives we can do here in Iloilo,” Brilantes added./PN
