Clean-up

Marc Cosep

Cebu City (December 3, 2022) --The first time she put a hand to the task of ridding the
rivers from trash, Grace Luardo knew she was tackling the impossible.

“Daghan kaayo ang basura unya maka kita pamig mga tao na actual gyud mo labay
maong murag ma dugay-dugayan gyud ta seguro ta ani,” said Luardo who heads the
Cebu City Environmental Sanitation.

However, Luardo said that if the people would be taught about the cons of improper
waste disposal the city would not experience heavy flooding.

“Kung ato lang gyud silang ma educate kung unsa ang mga effects sa pagpataka ug
labay sa mga sapa, di gyud ta ma problema ani pero hopeful ra ta permi na ma kabuot
gyud ni nato atong gipangandoy,” she said.

Luardo, together with her team of more than 30 employees from her department
removed debris and garbage along the Kinalumsan River in an effort to save our
waterways.

In other areas, hundreds of City Hall Employees, wielding nets and bin bags scoured
dirty waters and creeks in a simultaneous litter-picking drive along major waterways in
the City.

The Clean-up drive highlights the City’s call for urgent action to save and restore our
rivers and reduce flooding by declogging them of trash.

Dr. Esther Concha, RIver Commander of Tagunol Creek said told Cebu City News that
one challenge they have met is the number of plastics that have piled underneath the
rive.

Concha said that this trash contributed to the frequent flooding in the area since the
natural flow of the water was impeded.

“Maong nagpatawag mi ug bumbero kai among pa banwasan ang ilawm ug tubig kai
naka stuck naman gud unya dili mo flow ang tubig,” she said.

In Bulacao River, Bernard Maraasin, executive director of the Sugbo Bike lanes noted
there is a lot of domestic waste that was thrown in the area. He said this waste came
from the nearby houses that were situated along the Bulacao River.

“Murag na anad naman gud ang mga tao na mag labay sila dinhi sa sapa maong
daghan kaayo ug mga domestic waste,” said Maraasin.
Maraasin said their team agreed to return sometime next week and clean its entire
stretch.

Likewise, Maraasin said that he will also talk with the barangay captain to encourage
the residents to prohibit them from throwing their garbage along the river.