Las Pinas, Bacoor residents join hands to cleanup Zapote River

Around 500 local and barangay officials as well as residents of Las Pinas and Bacoor cities converged on July 28 at Brgy. Pulang Lupa Uno to start the regular synchronized cleanup of the once-pristine 18.3-kilometer Zapote River.

The joint cleanup activity in the two cities is the result of the dialogue between and among the punong barangays of Las Pinas and Bacoor, where representatives of the two city governments, DILG-NCR and Region IVA also attended.

The dialogue was made after DILG-NCR Director Renato Brion issued a show-cause order to the barangay governments of Las Pinas to justify why there is continuous flooding in the barangays near Zapote River caused by the garbage that are accumulated along its riverbanks.

During the dialogue, Brion stressed that there should be a regular and joint cleanup activity by the barangays covered by the two cities, particularly those near Zapote River, every other Saturday in order to restore the cleanliness of Zapote River.

"Bacoor and Las Pinas should work hand in hand to save Zapote River," he said.

In earlier times, Zapote River was the salt factory for Old Manila but it became a huge garbage fill after people from nearby towns migrated to Las Pinas because of lesser travel time brought about by the construction of the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway.

Expected to join the cleanup are DILG Assistant Secretary Rolando Acosta, Region IVA Director Josefina Castilla-Go, residents from Brgys. Pulang Lupa Uno, Zapote, Pamplona Uno, Pamplona Dos, Talon V, Almanza Uno, Almanza Dos and Talon Dos, all in Las Pinas; contingents from the Philippine National Police, non-government organizations and daughters of veterans in the city; and representatives from Operation Tulong of DZRH. - DILG — ARA