By Brian Jules Campued
A total of 2,646,948 kilograms of trash were collected by participating barangays nationwide during the “Kalinga at Inisyatiba Para Sa Malinis na Bayan” (KALINISAN) Program which was launched on Saturday.
According to a status report of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) released Sunday, 9,189 barangays in the country joined the initiative.
“The DILG report also stated that 580,000 individuals participated in the clean-up drive along with the 109,939 local officials,” the Presidential Communication Office (PCO) said in a statement on Monday.
According to the PCO, the bulk of the 580,000 people came from the following areas:
- CALABARZON: 117,161
- Cagayan Valley: 103,249
- Central Luzon: 103,044
- Northern Mindanao: 63,996
- MIMAROPA: 59,630
- National Capital Region: 39,109
- Central Visayas: 29,814
- Cordillera Administrative Region: 28,650
- Zamboanga Peninsula: 27,287
- SOCCSKSARGEN: 8,060
Meanwhile, the DILG said it will also create a system to recognize the local government units (LGUs) that will “efficiently implement” the KALINISAN initiative of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
Interior Sec. Benjamin Abalos, who also led the nationwide simultaneous launching of the project at the Baseco Compound in Manila, announced that the department will monitor the performance of around 42,000 barangays nationwide.
“Imo-monitor natin ang performance ng bawat barangay on a monthly basis. And quarterly, magkakaroon tayo ng awarding. Tututukan talaga natin ito,” Abalos added.
The DILG secretary also called on the local chief executives to impose a sanction of community service to people who will be caught littering so that more FIlipinos will practice responsible garbage disposal and enable the spirit of “bayanihan”.
“Sana hindi lang ngayong araw ito. Sana gawin natin ito araw-araw sa ating mga barangay, sa ating mga kabahayan. Gawin natin itong way of life. Dapat kahit saan tayo magpunta malinis,” said Abalos.
The KALINISAN program coincides with the celebration of the annual Community Development Week every January and Community Development Day every Jan. 6 which were declared through Proclamation 316 issued in 1994.
Pres. Marcos has also issued Memorandum Circular No. 41 and signed by Executive Sec. Lucas Bersamin on Jan. 3 that directs government agencies and encourages LGUs to observe the said events. – avds
