133 volunteers join Basura Run – Special Edition

At least 133 volunteers joined the Basura Run – Special Edition held this morning, September 21, in celebration of the World Clean-Up Day 2019.  | Photo courtesy of Ej Zabala

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Earth warriors in Cebu gathered earlier today, September 21, to once again collect garbage from uptown Cebu City streets.

The Basuran Run – Special Edition was their way of celebrating the World Clean-Up Day, said Ej Zabala, focal person of the Basura Run Cebu City Chapter.

Zabala said that a total of 133 volunteers which included Basura Run – Cebu City Chapter Advocates and members of the Tutoring Club Cebu, Don Bosco Senior High School (BEAPS) Club, Cebu Food Revolution, Earth Day Cebu, Sugdan: Zero Waste and Barangay Environmental Officers joined this morning’s run.

While they picked up plastic garbage which they found along the way, Barangay Enforcement Officers assigned under the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) also issued citation tickets to those whom they found to be indiscriminately disposing garbage along the route of their run.

5pDHs’ Basura Run – Cebu City Chapter Advocates and event collaborator Tutoring Club Cebu. | Photo courtesy of Ej Zabala

Zabala said that participants of the run were divided into two groups.

The first group run from the Fuente Osmeña Circle to the Cebu Provincial Capitol and back. The second group run from the Fuente Osmeña Circle to Camp Sotero Cabahug located on the other side of Osmeña Boulevard and back.

“About 18 bags of plastic litters composed of plastic bottles, plastic food wrappers, cigarette butts and common single-use plastics were collected for this morning’s run,”  Zabala told CDN Digital.

Volunteers collected a total of 18 sacks of plastic garbage during the run. |  Photo courtesy of Ej Zabala

Zabala is reminding Cebuanos to always make it a habit to ensure the proper disposal of their wastes.

She said that anyone who drops a water bottle on the road contributes to environmental degradation.

“The earth is not dying, it is being killed by those people who have names and addresses.  The reason we need to initiate and make this kind of awareness campaign (is) to awaken each and every one of us that NOW is the time to CHANGE our attitude towards the convenience we always want through single-use plastics. To inspire, educate and ignite the minds of the people of all ages to be catalysts of change in their respective communities and make a ripple effect. Change is now and change starts in us!,” Zabala said. | dcb