The city’s private sector and the Angeles City government launched the Angeleños and BWSI Advocates Clean-Up Action for Nature (ABACAN) Program at the Balibago Waterworks Maligaya Head Office in Pulung Maragul, Angeles City.
Officials of the ARAW-ACI, MACCII, and BWSI, signed a MOA cementing the commitment and action plan to restore and protect the Abacan River through a clean-up drive every third week of the month.
The signing was witnessed by CENRO head Jenifer S. Castro, who expressed gratitude to the ABACAN intiative and for its proponents’ support to the Angeles City LGU’s continuous Abacan River clean-up effort as well as the tree planting at the Sapangbato Watershed.
She said such activities help to raise people’s awareness on the need to care for nature by avoiding dumping of garbage at waterways and open spaces.
The ABACAN intiative aligns with City Mayor Carmelo G. Lazatin, Jr.’s objective to keep the city’s water resources clean and safe, ensuring public health and environmental sustainability. It is anchored on Mayor Pogi’s environmental development vision for safe and healthy communities, launching Angeles City as the Leading Green City in Central Luzon.
The short program was immediately followed by the massive clean-up at the nearby Pulung Maragul-Pandan section of Abacan River. The participants comprised of 109 delegates from ARAW ACI, BWSI, and CENRO, who went down the river to collect trash.
PENRO Pampanga deployed 57 estero rangers while the Pulung Maragul barangay council sent 30 sweepers and 4 grass cutters along with its garbage truck (manned by driver and two loaders). The City Engineer’s Office mobilized 5 personnel to provide ladders to allow the participants safe access to the river. The Angeles City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office ambulance and emergency medical response team were on standby onsite throughout the activity.
The ABACAN program’s first run yielded 150 sacks of assorted trash soon loaded on the Pulung Maragul garbage truck for immediate transport for proper final disposal.
