CLEAN—UP DRIVE

It started out on an early morning walk on a weekend along the national road at Barangay Magsaysay towards the end of June 2012. Batch-maters Mon C. Balallo and Manding G. Tolentino were having a leisurely walk on the stretch of the national road towards the marker which announces the entrance to the municipality of Santa.

Across the national road immediately after the public cemetery, the batch-mates noticed the pile of garbage spreading along a large area. It has been accumulating together with a wild growth of cadena de amor. The sloping terrain conceals the accumulating eyesore. However, the area has a great view of the sea on the west and the mountain range on the east.

Manding G. Tolentino, who is also the Barangay Captain of Magsaysay District, immediately realizes that something has to be done. The area is within his jurisdiction.

Barangay Captain Tolentino started conducting inquiries as to the ownership of the vacant lot. Together with Mon G. Balallo, they scheduled meetings and dialogues with the owner of the property directly and/or thru the authorized caretaker. They proposed to undertake a clean and green project on the specified site to include a clean-up drive and a tree-planting activity to be undertaken by the Santa High School Batch 1977 Alumni Association (SHS’77AA) Inc. When they were able to secure an affirmative response from the property owner, the two alumni association officers prepared to bring the matter to the other executive officers.

It was on the first week of July that a clean-up drive was undertaken in the area. Several members of the alumni association and some residents from Barangay Magsaysay volunteered to rid the area of garbage and wild growth until fertile soil was exposed. A tree-planting activity was scheduled on 15 July 2012.

Images: Precy Quitasol

Text: Joseph Crisanto Martinez