"Mother of all Cleanups" in 16 city barangays today

The Cebu City government together with the private sectors, other government agencies and non-government organizations will conduct a "Mother of All Cleanups" in the coastal areas from barangays Mabolo to Inayawan starting this 7 a.m. Vice Mayor Michael Rama, who is also the chairman of the Coastal Management Board, is encouraging all barangay officials and residents of the 16 city barangays covered in the said activity to cooperate with the estimated 14,000 to 15,000 volunteers coming from the academe, civic organizations, non-governmental organizations, peoples' organizations and urban poor groups.

Rama said it is important that city residents will also help to make the activity a success because many have helped, including the provincial government with its dump trucks as well as the Cebu Contractors Association. Blowing of horns of the vessels participating in the said event 15 minutes before 7 am will signal the start of the cleanup drive, Rama said. Further, Engr. Samuel Dy, head of Cebu Environmental Sanitation Enforcement Team said it was observed that tons of garbage had already been dumped in these coastal areas.

Dy said that the cleanup will be done in a quarter basis starting next year. He added that more than 40 dump trucks were already readied for this whole-day cleanup activity.

This joint undertaking is participated by some government agencies including the Armed Forces of the Philippines, shipping companies, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, fisherfolk organizations and the private sector, among others.

Dy said that the violators of City Ordinance 2031 that mandates for the implementation of solid waste segregation at source will participate in this cleanup.

CESET is strictly implementing this ordinance. To date, there are more than 6,500 violators who were arrested with an average of 60 violators caught everyday. Violators, who cannot pay the P500 penalty, have to undergo community service by cleaning areas designated by the Department of Public Services. Aside from cleaning, some of the violators will undergo tree planting at the South Reclamation Project and other areas in the city identified by DPS as suited for such activity.

Since July 1, the city government initiated the "No Segregation, No Collection" policy. City Ordinance 2031 prohibits the disposal of wastes that are not segregated as biodegradable, non-biodegradable, reusable, hazardous and bulky wastes. - Mitchelle P. Calipayan and Cristina C. Birondo