Since 2014, Zero Waste Month has been celebrated every January as an initiative that encourages individuals to be more mindful of the waste they produce. The theme for this year, “Integrating Sustainability and Circularity into the Informal Waste Sector,” emphasizes the importance of incorporating recycling and reusing materials in waste management systems.
In support of this cause, a River Clean-Up Drive was organized in Barangay Ortiz, Naguilian, La Union, last January 22, 2025. A total of 136.35 kilograms of waste were collected during clean-up drive along the Naguillan River. The waste consisted of 79.35 kg of residual waste (such as paper, styrofoam plates, cups, food packaging), 8.5 kg of solid waste (including old clothes, shoes, and slippers), and 38.5 kg of recyclable waste (such as plastic cups, cans, PET bottles, beverage bottles, and bottle metal caps).
The clean-up drive was a collaborative effort of Jaime V. Ongpin Foundation Inc., Barangay Local Government Unit (LGU) of Naguilian, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB),Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP),Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office (PGENRO), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) – La Union Provincial Office, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), the National Science and Technology Fair, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA),Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO),Bannuar Eagles Club, and Dalumpinas Oeste Eco Rangers.
While Zero Waste Month provides a focused opportunity to raise awareness, it is important to carry the lessons learned from this celebration throughout the year. Sustainable waste management is not a one-time activity but a continuous responsibility. Practices such as segregating waste, reducing single-use plastics, and properly disposing of waste in designated bins can have a lasting impact on the quality of our air, water, and land. A small change in our daily habits can contribute to a cleaner and safer environment for all living things.
Mark Anthony Dilodilo, the MENRO Officer of Naguilian, expressed his appreciation for the support of all those who participated in the clean-up drive. He said, “On behalf of the Naguilian Local Government Unit, we would like to thank JVOFI for selecting our community as one of the areas for their clean-up drive. This year, we have decided to integrate this important initiative into the celebrations of the 18th Basi Festival and the 186th Foundation Anniversary of the Municipality of Naguilian. We are truly grateful for all the support and look forward to continuing these efforts for a cleaner, more sustainable environment. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of this program.”
The River Clean-Up Drive in Naguilian serves as a reminder that environmental protection requires the involvement of everyone. The Naguillan River plays a vital role in agriculture, fishing, and providing water for the municipalities of Bagulin and Bauang. By becoming more aware of proper waste management, we can make a meaningful difference in safeguarding our natural resources.
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About the Ridge to Reef Project
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥 𝘞𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘙𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘙𝘦𝘦𝘧 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘢 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦–𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘤𝘢–𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘢 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘑𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘝. 𝘖𝘯𝘨𝘱𝘪𝘯 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘐𝘯𝘤. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘢𝘯 𝘑𝘶𝘢𝘯, 𝘉𝘢𝘶𝘢𝘯𝘨, 𝘉𝘢𝘤𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯 (𝘕𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳), 𝘚𝘢𝘯 𝘎𝘢𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘭 (𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘳𝘰) 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘢 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘢 (𝘞𝘗𝘚). 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘙𝘦𝘦𝘧 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴‘ 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘫𝘶𝘯𝘬𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯.
