AS PREPARATION FOR RAINY SEASON: City-wide cleanup drive scheduled on June 19

CEBU, Philippines - As one of preparations for the coming of the rainy season, the Cebu City government will be conducting a city-wide cleanup drive on June 19.

With this, mayor-elect Michael Rama is appealing to all residents of the city to participate in the activity as it would also help mitigate the possible effects of La Niña.

Rama said the whole city shall be covered by the big cleaning operation to be participated by all City Hall employees who will be deployed in various areas of assignment.

“We are appealing and we are reminding everyone because this is supposed to be a general and basic that you should take care of your own backyard,” he said.

He said that people must not depend on the personnel that the city will deploy because the cleanup drive is basically a promotion of volunteerism and cooperation among citizens.

“We are encouraging that on June 19 at 7 a.m., all will be out sa ilaha mismong balay, and perhaps will already be cleaning their own houses to check their canals, clean their front yard and backyard,” he said.

Everyone is also encouraged to bring their own equipment to be used for cleaning.

According to Rama, who chairs the city’s Coastal Management Board, cleaning the surroundings will also help prevent diseases such as dengue and diarrhea, among others.

Cleaning the creeks and the canals of garbage will also improve the drainage system.

Rama said that for rivers that need to be dredged, he hopes that the city will be able to purchase dredging equipments which is not yet possible at this time.

Not just canals and backyards of households, but also the streets particularly sidewalks will be cleared of garbage, graffiti, illegal posters and streamers.  

The event will be the 17th general cleanup drive to be undertaken in efforts to beautify the city.

Meanwhile, the 53rd Engineering Brigade of the Philippine Army has joined the Brigada Eskwela project of the Department of Education by helping clean Lahug Elementary School and repairing some damaged chairs.

Some 50 military personnel led by Maj. Frederic Ancheta has repaired 54 chairs during the activity that was held yesterday with the theme, “Magtinabangay kita para sa atong mga kabataan.”

The Malacañang has earlier declared the third week of May as the National Schools Maintenance Week, otherwise known as Brigada Skwela, under the organization and supervision of DepEd as a wholly voluntary effort on the part of all communities nationwide.

National and local government agencies are encouraged to voluntarily participate in Brigada Eskwela by directly volunteering in the public school nearest their respective offices. Stakeholders, such as parents, local businesses and the communities are also invited to be part of program.

The Brigada Eskwela include activities like painting the roofs of school buildings, cementing existing drains, repairing comfort rooms and leaking water pipes, painting exterior walls of classrooms, repairing or replacing ceiling boards, repairing chairs, desks, fixtures, windows and doors, and cleaning of school gardens and environment. — Jessica Ann R. Pareja and Jen-jen L. Raymundo, PIT Intern/WAB   CEBU, Philippines -