Volunteers from different organizations gathered for a massive clean-up initiative along the banks of the Bued River on Thursday, April 18, 2024, coinciding with Bued River Day, designated by Tuba’s Municipality Ordinance No. 408, series of 2021.
Led by the Environmental Management Bureau-Cordillera Administrative Region (EMB-CAR), the activity aimed to protect the ecological balance and biodiversity of the Bued River, an essential water source for Baguio City, Tuba, and Itogon in Benguet Province. Being recognized as a Water Quality Management Area (WQMA) under DENR Administrative Order No. 003-16 underscored the urgent necessity to enhance the river’s water quality.
The EMB-CAR was joined by volunteers and participants from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC) and On-the-Job Trainees (OJTs) assigned to its offices, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), Tuba Municipal Local Government Unit (Tuba-MLGU), Philex Mining Corporation, Philippine Information Agency-CCAR (PIA-CAR), City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO), City Environment & Natural Resources Office (CENRO), and the Barangay Local Government Unit (BLGU) of Camp 3.
This collaborative effort spanned a vast 20-kilometer stretch of the riverbanks, removing 74 significant sacks of plastic waste and discarded clothing from five different sites: Camp 1, Twin Peaks, Camp 3, Camp 6, and Tabaan Sur. The amount of collected waste highlights the enormity of the challenge of keeping our environment clean. Hence, it is crucial to implement effective environmental conservation measures and increase public awareness of environmental issues to tackle this challenge. END
