SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union, Feb. 10 – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-La Union Provincial Office gathered volunteers from national government agencies and local government unit of Caba, and barangay personnel for a coastal cleanup along the shores of Santiago Norte village in Caba town on February 10.
 
The activity is part of the DILG’s “Barangay at Kalinisan Day (BarKaDa),” which aims to encourage barangays across the country to regularly conduct community-based environmental programs.

According to DILG-La Union Provincial Director Reggie Colisao, the cleanup effort seeks to sustain the momentum of the KALINISAN sa Bagong Pilipinas Program that was launched last January 6, 2024, through the initiative of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.
 
“[This is] in line with the inter-agency efforts to sustain the momentum of the KALINISAN sa Bagong Pilipinas Program. The conduct of weekly clean-up activities [is] in compliance with the Barangay and Kalinisan Day (BARKADA) project in select barangays nationwide,” Colisao said.
 
As part of the cleanup, around 67.6 kilograms of waste were collected along the shores of the said barangay, contributing to the maintenance of cleanliness in the area, with the province of La Union known for its pristine and well-kept beaches.

Of the figure, plastic represented 40 kilograms of the total waste, biodegradable materials contributed 16.9 kilograms, and bottles represented 10.7 kilograms of the total waste collected.
 
Partner agencies from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), the local government of Caba, La Union, and the barangay local government of Santiago Norte all participated in the cleanup drive. (JCR/AMB/CCMT, PIA La Union)