San Juan City, MMDA, PA conduct Ermitanyo creek clean-up, Anti-smoking campaign intensified
The MMDA, the San Juan city government, Philippine Army and the Department of Health recently simultaneously conducted a massive clean-up of the Ermitanyo Creek and the enforcement of the 100% Smoke-Free Environment policy in Metropolitan Manila.
General Manager Corazon Jimenez led the MMDA contingent in conducting both projects in the city last October 21 while San Juan City mayor Guia Gomez directed CENRO head and former City Councilor Dante Santiago and Task Force Disiplina chief Melchor Robles to lead the city personnel in the operations.
Smokers along the main roads including sidewalks, waiting shed, PUV terminals, and other public places were warned by the TFD and MMDA Health, Public Safety and Environmental Protection Officers as well as DOH personnel not to smoke in public and harm other people then throw the cigarette butts on the streets.
Possible violators were warned that they will be fined P500 for the offense or asked to perform an 8 hour-community service.
The University of the Philippines College of Law Development Foundation, Health Justice, Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines (FCAP) are some of the NGOs supporting the campaign.
ERMITANYO CREEK
Unscrupulous and callous environmental offenders meanwhile continued to wreak havoc in the waterways of the city as a number of cut trees were found lying in the middle of the Ermitanyo creek along with the usual garbage thrown by creek side residents like clothes, plastics, and other wastes.
Ermitanyo Creek is bounded by San Juan on the East side and Quezon City on the West side. Reports allege that residents of Bgy. Valencia has reportedly been warned by the QC police to stop throwing garbage into the creek. Verbal clashes and accusations have also been reported between residents of the said Quezon City barangay and that of barangay Pasadena in San Juan.
Barangay Pasadena chair Sancho Hicap and his council have conducted various clean-up drives in their jurisdiction of the creek as seen in their Facebook account.
Meanwhile, barangay chair Edgar de Jesus of Bgy. Ermitanyo aired his council’s support for the clean-up drive of the MMDA, the members of the Philippine Army and CENRO. The San Juan city Public Order and Security Office managed the vehicular traffic along Aurora Boulevard. The clean-up is part of the “Lingap sa Barangay” project of MMDA chair Francis Tolentino.