BORONGAN CITY-In line with the Month of Ocean celebration, the provincial government of Eastern Samar launched Project ‘KLEAN’ or Kalikasan Linisan Estehanon Aksyon Na’ on Tuesday (May 9).
The provincewide coastal clean-up drive and the rice for trash campaign intend to raise awareness of the repercussion of garbage thrown in the ocean and promote proper waste management thus protecting aquatic lives.
To encourage residents of Eastern Samar to participate in the project, the provincial government offers a kilogram of rice for every two kilograms of trash collected.
The launching was held at Baybay Boulevard, this city, and attended by various sectors in the city including uniformed personnel from the Philippine National Police, Philippine Army, Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Philippine Coast Guard.
Governor Ben Evardone said that the provincial government had allocated 800 sacks of rice and another 100 sacks of rice from the 4Ps party list for this initiative.
“The important thing about this activity is the message that we are putting across to the world, to our province, and to our country, that even in this part of the Philippines, one of the farthest parts of the country, we are concern with our environment,” Evardone said.
“We are trying to do our share, modest as it is, to help preserve, protect, and ensure that the generation to come will inherit a vibrant environment,” he added.
Evardone said that the clean-up drive will be done every week for the entire month of May.
The province hopes that after May this will be a usual weekly routine of all LGUs in the province.
Borongan City Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda, who was also present during the launching, said that he is thankful for the provincial government in initiating the program which is in line with the city’s existing program in protecting the coastal water resources.
“This is not only for us but for our future generations. We really have to protect our forests and our ocean,” he said.
He added that despite their effort to clean their waters, garbage remains to be a problem.
Some of this garbage also comes from the upland area where people are not yet aware of the negative effects of improper waste disposal particularly plastics and other non-biodegradable materials.
“The success of this will be measured once it becomes a way of life. No matter who starts it what is important is it becomes an obligation and responsibility of us who are leaders to make this a legacy for the betterment of our future generation,” Mayor Agda said.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
