Cebu City expects 10,000 participants for the city-wide cleanup on Sept.16

Raymarr Hijara, representative of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and the chairman of the coastline management board speaks with the media in a press conference on Tuesday regarding the upcoming city-wide cleanup activity. | Screengrab from Cebu City PIO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City is expecting to have more than 10,000 participants for the 13th city-wide cleanup on Saturday, September 16.

Raymarr Hijara, representative of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and the chairman of the coastline management board, said this because the cleanup activity would fall on the day of an international event. 

READ: Coastal cleanup in Pangan-an islet collects 50 sacks of garbage

Other cleanup events

Aside from the ‘Cebu Citywide Clean-up Challenge’ the other events on Sunday are the National Clean Up Day on the 16th, International Coastal Cleanup, and the Marina Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month. 

Francis Gatugay, the national clean up day coordinator, said that the volunteers would also be encouraged to attend a forum for the National Clean Up Day Summit to remind the Cebuanos to maintain the cleanliness of their surroundings. 

There will be speakers from Manila who will also share their expertise regarding environmental conservation. 

However, the venue is still not finalized as of press time. 

READ: Coastal cleanup: Lapu-Lapu police collect nearly 200 kilos of garbage in Marigondon

Volunteers from different sectors

In the previous cleanup activity, they were able to gather 10,000 volunteers, according to Hijari.

“Ato na ni siyang himuon nga tradisyon sa Cebu City nga manglimpyo ta tanan,” Hijari said in a press conference on Tuesday, September 12.

(We will all make this a tradition in Cebu City where we will clean all.)

The activity expects to have participants from the personnel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Philippine Air Force, Philippine Army, Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration. 

READ: CESET apprehends violators, conducts cleanup drive in Mambaling

Academe, BPOs

They are also expecting volunteers from the academe through the Cebu academe network and the barangays, as well as the religious sector, among others.

They also invited groups from the business process outsourcing (BPO) companies since they also have ‘sunset cleanup’ as well.

“Kaning mga BPO or mga call centers, medyo challenge ang ilahang shift kay pang gabii man gud so kung buntag sayo nato sila paapilon sa cleanup, sakit kaayo sa lawas. Mao nang naa tay sunset cleanup to really accommodate them,” he said. 

(This BPOs or call centers, their shifts are quite a challenge because they work at night so if they will do cleanup in the early morning, it will be painful for their bodies. That is why we have the sunset cleanup to really accommodate them.)

Hijara said that the cleanup activity would be an opportunity for the city hall employees to witness the current situation of the riverbanks and coastal areas. 

READ: How to protect yourself from the dangers of floods

Concerns on floods

When asked if the activity would also be a way to address the concerns of floods in Metro Cebu, Hijara said that they would work hard to address it. 

“Gikan sa bukid, padung sa atong kasapaan, padung sa barangayan, kutob sa atoang baybayon. Ilawom sa dagat. naay mo dive, mag cleanup karong petsa 16,” he said. 

(From the mountains, to the rivers, to the barangays, until the coastlines. Under the sea, there will be those who will dive this 16.)

He also acknowledged that garbage had been thrown into the rivers. 

“With regards aning concern nga naay baha, shared man gud siya nga problema, and that was formed pila na ka dekada ang niagi. Ato ni siyang gipaningkamutan ron nga masulosyonan,” he said. 

(With regards to our concern about floods, this is a shared problem, and that was formed several decades that have past. We are working on this so that we can solve this issue.)

He said that they would not assure that the problem of floods would be addressed in just a year.

READ: Floods hit some areas in Mandaue, Cebu cities

Where city hall workers are assigned

For the cleaning of rivers, the Cebu City Hall employees were assigned in the following areas: Kinalumsan, Mahiga, Estero Parian, Guadalupe, Butuanon, Bulacao, and Tagunol.

Moreover, among the additional features of this city-wide cleanup would be the online registration, according to Jonalyn Gabito, lead committee for documentation

Gabito said, those who would participate in the cleanup activity, would be advised to pre-register though the quick response (QR) code. 

They would also provide a form where they would write the different types of garbage collected during the activity. 

“Pinaagi ani, ma-trace nato kung pila ka bag nga garbage atong makuha in each area and also if pila ni sila ka kilo,” she Gabito said. 

(Through this, we can trace how much garbage that we can get in each and also if how many kilos are these.)

READ: Dolomite Beach becomes focus of coastal cleanup