LOS BAÑOS, Laguna—Twelve barangays and volunteers from various local sectors of Los Baños joined the town-wide “Linis Ilat” or canal cleaning on Saturday here.
The cleanup activity is a project of Laguna Water District Aquatech Resources Corp. and Laguna Water District and was made possible with the support of the Los Baños Municipal Office headed by Mayor Caesar P. Perez for the celebration of World Water Day.
“The aim is to protect environment because the water comes from nature. We are engaging the communities to protect the water resources here,” LARC general manager Emil Q. Puerto said.
Anna Karenina Lim-Puerto, LARC Community Relations and External Affairs manager, said the program involves barangays officials and other government agencies as it stresses the importance of waterway cleanups, not only along the shoreline of Laguna Lake but on the tributaries to the lake as well.
This is the second year LARC and LWD have conducted the waterway clean-up in Los Baños to celebrate World Water Day, an annual event held every 22nd of March as organized by the United Nations.
The theme for World Water Day 2018 is “‘Nature for Water-Exploring Nature-Based Solutions to the Water Challenges We Face in the 21st century.”
Residents of barangays Anos, Bambang, Batong Malake, Baybayin, Bayog, Lalakay, Maahas, Malinta, Mayondon, San Antonio, Timugan, and Tuntungin-Putho and volunteers from the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Councils and University of the Philippines Los Baños participated in the cleanup.
Part of LARC and LWD’s month-long celebration of World Water Day are several activities for their service area, to promote awareness and inspire action to face water issues.
It includes the Laguna Lake Clean Up on March 15 in partnership with the Municipality of Bay, and a Tree Planting Activity on April 7 in partnership with the Municipality of Calauan and the Laguna Lake Development Authority.
LARC and LWD’s Photo Contest is also open to all grades 7 to 10 of Los Baños, Bay, Calauan, Victoria, and select barangays of Nagcarlan, Laguna. Winners of the contest will be announced on LARC’s Facebook Page on March 22.
The activities are under LARC’s campaign entitled, “Dalayday: Lingapin Yamang Tubig.” The campaign is focused on responsible water management and the benefits this entails to nature, the environment, to future generations, and especially to human health.