SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (PIA) – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) La Union Provincial Office spearheaded the Barangay at Kalinisan Day (BARKADA) project in Barangay Ambitacay, Santo Tomas, La Union on Aug. 20, highlighting the importance of adopting community clean-up efforts as a way of life to maintain and sustain a clean and healthy environment.
Heidrich Calderon, Local Government Operations Officer V of DILG La Union, said the agency envisions for the cleanup drive to eventually become a custom in communities, ensuring the sustainability of this nationwide effort.
“We hope that even without the assistance of the DILG and the national government [as a whole], we will still implement this cleanup strategy in our own homes, for it to hopefully become our way of life,” Calderon said.
Through DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2023-133, the BARKADA project is a weekly initiative in collaboration with DILG and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) which seeks to promote cleanliness, sustainability, and active community participation in barangay affairs.
This year, the project was integrated into the broader Kalinga at Inisyatiba para sa Malinis na Bayan (KALINISAN) sa Bagong Pilipinas program under the Marcos Administration, through DILG MC No. 2024-001.
This move aligns the project with the government’s Bagong Pilipinas campaign, aiming to enhance inter-agency collaboration and promote widespread cleanliness in public spaces across the nation.
The DILG La Union Provincial Office selected Barangay Ambitacay as the showcase area for this week’s clean-up drive, recognizing its reputation for steadfast cleanliness and to further support the management and maintenance of its public spaces, setting a standard for community-driven efforts in environmental stewardship.
The activity also seeks to actively engage local communities in the barangay, encouraging their participation in cleanliness efforts to enhance public health and protect the environment. It included a brief orientation on waste management practices and featured the distribution of cleaning and sanitation kits to support the community cleanup drive.
Local leaders also took part in the event, emphasizing the crucial role of a clean and healthy environment in advancing both national and local development goals.
Around 60 personnel from national government agencies, local government units (LGUs), and community organizations actively participated in the event, demonstrating their commitment to the nationwide initiative launched earlier as part of the government’s vision for a cleaner and more progressive nation.
Venus Bitac, a resident of Barangay Ambitacay, meanwhile expressed her gratitude for the collaborative effort, noting that it has significantly contributed to the cleanliness of their community.
“Thank you to the KALINISAN program which contributed to the cleanliness of our environment and homes here. The cleanup unveiled the true beauty of Barangay Ambitacay. We are grateful,” Bitac said.
During the cleanup, approximately 15 garbage bags containing a mix of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste were collected.
These bags will be segregated and weighed as part of the DILG’s monitoring process for total waste collected.
The BARKADA project in Santo Tomas, La Union, is one of many similar initiatives taking place across the Ilocos Region, marking the first such event since the one held in Barangay Santiago Norte, Caba, La Union on Feb. 10, 2024.
The regional launch of the KALINISAN program was held in the coastal communities of San Fernando City, La Union, featuring a cleanup drive on January 6, 2024. (MJTAB/CCMT, PIA La Union)
