CALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) — Driven by the goal of preserving a clean and sustainable environment for future generations, around 2,500 students from various colleges and universities across Calamba City took part in a simultaneous citywide river cleanup on Thursday, April 16.
Highlighting the city’s commitment to environmental stewardship, Calamba City Higher Education Institutions Association (CCHEIA) President Dr. Ronald Gonzales shared that the initiative forms part of Calamba’s 25th Cityhood Anniversary and is among the key activities marking the milestone.
With the theme, “Kalinga sa Kalikasan, Kinabukasan ng Kabataan,” the citywide river cleanup initiative highlights the importance of government agencies, institutions, and communities working together to achieve a sustainable environment for generations to come.
“The rivers that flow through the city are vital lifelines, they sustain ecosystems, they support livelihoods, and reflect overall health of our environment. However, these same rivers faced growing threats from pollution, improper waste disposal, and environmental neglect. This is why initiatives like today’s activity are crucial; they demonstrate that when institutions, government agencies and communities come together, meaningful change becomes possible,” Gonzales said in his message.
He also emphasized that the program served as a declaration of their shared responsibility to protect and preserve the environment, with the involvement of the youth to instill the importance of environmental initiatives and action.
Meanwhile, in an interview, Calamba City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Department Head Joseph Arlan Llorente emphasized the value of collective participation in environmental initiatives, noting that their impact goes beyond individuals, benefiting the entire community and the environment as a whole.
Although challenges with waste management persist, he emphasized that discipline is key to reducing waste, especially waste that ends up in rivers and waterways, which degrades water quality and obstructs water flow during heavy rains or typhoons.
“Waste is something we cannot avoid, it is a daily concern in every household. What we need, above all, is discipline so we can keep our surroundings in order. While many Filipinos strive to keep their homes clean, this responsibility should extend beyond our doorsteps. So the principle of ‘Tapat Mo, Linis Mo’ is something we must also enforce in every barangay,” Llorente said.
He also called on the public to refrain from using single-use plastics, noting that plastic waste continues to pose serious environmental challenges, polluting rivers and waterways, degrading the environment, and disrupting local ecosystems.
Meanwhile, to ensure the sustainability of the program, Llorente said the local government unit under the leadership of Mayor Roseller Rizal, with the support of the Calamba City CENRO, regularly conducts river cleanup activities alongside barangay-led initiatives and the cleanup of other tributaries feeding into the lake, which can sometimes generate up to 100 sacks of collected waste.
In the 2023 IQAir World Air Quality Report, Calamba City was ranked as the least polluted city in the Philippines and placed sixth among the cleanest cities in Southeast Asia.
In line with this distinction, the city government continues to affirm the implementation of environment-centered initiatives, projects, and ordinances. (COP/PIA-CALABARZON)