City Hall to reward Badjaos who collect floating debris

GELASQUE

‘Basura Mo, Sardinas Ko’ program

The Cebu City government is planning to expand its “Basura Mo, Sardinas Ko” program to include the Badjaos in the reward system.

John Paul Gelasque, assistant head of the Department of Public Services, said he already met with the three leaders of the Badjao community in Barangay Mambaling last Monday morning.

“During the meeting, I explained to them the rationale of the project and asked for their cooperation,” Gelasque said.

The project aims to encourage Cebu City residents including the Badjaos to collect garbage especially those floating trash or debris on the city’s creeks and rivers.

For the project, the city government will exchange a sack of garbage to a can of sardines.

Gelasque said the project would start on the first week of May.

“Hugaw kaayo ang atong coastal areas and kuyaw pa jud kaayo sa dengue (Our coastal areas are dirty and are prone to dengue),” said Gelasque in a phone interview.

The program will be implemented in pilot areas in the city, which are Barangays Lahug and Cogon Pardo. These are the barangays where residents especially those living near the creek would throw their garbage in the waterway.

“This project will not just help in cleaning the coastal areas but also provide livelihood for the Badjaos,” said Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña of the plan to include the Badjaos in the project. /Silliman University Intern Ray Chen S. Bahinting