During a recent Iloilo City General Services Office (GSO) clean-up drive along Calahunan Creek in the city’s Mandurriao district, approximately two tons of garbage was collected.
“[The] Water Quality Management Area monitors the water quality of different bodies of water in the city,” explained Assistant GSO department head Neil Ravena. “They identified Calahunan Creek, [where] we gathered 1,830 kilograms of waste, which [impeded] the flow and [polluted] the water.”
“One of the factors [as to] why there were such waste collected in Calahunan Creek [was] because of informal settlers,” he added. “Relocation will be a solution; just like what we did [with the] Iloilo River.”
Last month, a “One Time, Big Time” coastal clean-up took place in Iloilo City’s Molo and Arevalo districts collected 18 tons of garbage.
“The coastal clean-up raised awareness among residents, especially those who are living along the shorelines, on the importance of having a clean sea,” said Iloilo City Environment Management Specialist Renan Escoto./WDJ