ILOILO – The Iloilo provincial government, through the Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office (PGENRO), will spearhead “Limpyo Iloilo 2023”, a province-wide convergence cleanup, today.
Mitzi Peñaflorida, PGENRO senior environmental management specialist, said among the target areas are canals/esteros, markets, roadsides, plazas, school premises, coastal areas, creeks, rivers, hospital premises, and backyards, among others.
Three teams from PGENRO are deployed around the province to lead the clean-up drive.
Team A will take the route from the Iloilo provincial capitol via General Luna Street to Molo district and via the national highway Iloilo-Antique Road to San Joaquin town.
From San Joaquin, it will return via national highway to Guimbal, Guimbal-Tubungan National Road to Leon, then Iloilo City Aleosan Road to Alimodian, San Miguel, Jibao-an, and back to the provincial capitol.
Team B will start from the capitol via General Luna Street to Diversion Road then to the national highway, Old Iloilo-Capiz Road passing Pavia, Santa Barbara, Cabatuan, Janiuay, Lambunao, and Calinog towns. It will pass Calinog-Passi Road to Passi City, then via national highway Iloilo East Coast-Capiz Road passing Dueñas, Dingle, Pototan, Zarraga, Leganes, and back to the capitol.
For Team C, the cleanup starts at the capitol to La Paz district going to Coastal Road passing Leganes and Dumangas then via national road to Barotac Nuevo, then via Western Nautical Highway passing Anilao, Banate, Barotac Viejo, Ajuy, Concepcion, Sara, Batad, Estancia, Balasan, and Carles and vice versa and return to the capitol.
“We invited all LGUs kag barangays to join the province-wide cleanup. The same gihapon, magwa sila kag manglimpyo, even households are also invited. Ma-deploy kita sang aton Limpyo Dalanon Civil Defense Force, ma-traverse in all districts,” said Peñaflorida.
Those who wish to participate are encouraged to bring rubber or plastic gloves, sacks or net bags, bamboo sticks or tongs, alcohol or hand sanitizer, food and water, and ball pens and pencils for trash data.
All volunteers/participating groups/foot soldiers are reminded of the proper attire: preferably long pants and long sleeves or a t-shirt, rubber shoes or any closed shoes, and hat or cap.
During the clean-up, everyone is reminded of the following:
* proper trash collection and data recording (collect and record recyclables and residuals, but not biodegradable items such as leaves, coconut husk, driftwood, seaweed, water lilies, grasses, etc.);
* waste collected should undergo a waste audit to determine the volume, type and number of wastes collected;
* all recyclables and residuals with potential for recycling should be diverted to junkshops or any recycling company; and
* after the waste audit, return trash into bags or sacks and properly dispose of it at the final disposal facility.
Peñaflorida said Limpyo Iloilo aims to reduce trash that could be homes to diseases or dengue-carrying mosquitoes and avoid the trash ending up in the sea.
A clean environment also attracts tourists to the province, she added./PN
