Wetlands day celebrated in Abra
[Bangued, Abra] - As the world celebrates wetlands day with a theme Wetlands and Climate Change, PENRO-Abra and CENRO Bangued in partnership with the Barangay Local Government Unit of Malamsit, Peñarrubia conducted recently a clean-up drive and solid waste management lecture at the Malamsit creek and watershed. Among the participants to the activity are the on-the-job and immersion students from the different schools stationed with the DENR-Abra as well as some members of the Abra Youth for the Environment.
The Malamsit creek and watershed provides potable water to the residents of the neighboring towns and serves as irrigation for their agricultural activities. However, due to the number of people visiting the scenic view for picnics and swimming, solid wastes such as plastics and paper and other non-biodegradables were left in the area leaving the creek unpleasant to the eyes and destructive to the environment as a whole.
In its commitment to environmental management and protection, DENR Abra and the barangay officials of Malamsit conducted the activity to help maintain the cleanliness of the creek and remind the residents to continue cleaning up the even after the celebration of World wetlands Day.
Forester Shirley T. Leaño, the CENR Officer of CENRO Bangued, briefed the participants before the start of the activity about the history of World Wetlands Day and the proper segregation of the wastes to be collected. The participants were grouped in teams and started cleaning up the affected part of the creek with an estimate length of 300 meters.
The 160 participants collected wastes that weigh about 95 kilos of plastics bottles, cups, cigarette butts and other non-biodegrables. Brgy. Captain Darwin Galera assured the DENR Officials that they will continually uphold environmental security in the area and will put up signages to strengthen participation of all visitors for the preservation of the cleanliness of the area. They also assured that additional trash bins shall be provided by the barangay and placed in strategic places for easy access by the visitors.|C. Bangued, KHFAguinaldo
