Monitoring of dirty creeks on

Creeks in the city are now being closely monitored as to their upkeep and residents especially those residing near them who continue to indiscriminately throw their wastes into the waterways are to be penalized.

Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) City Director P Col. Francisco Bulwayan Jr. issued this warning in line with Mayor Benjamin Magalong’s directive for the police force to intensify its watch over creeks and waterways due to pollution concerns.

Bulwayan said that as a result of the mayor’s directive, the different police stations conducted ocular inspection of the river tributaries within their areas of responsibility and came up with their list of five dirtiest creeks.

Based on their assessment, the top five dirtiest creeks are: Easter Road at Guisad, Magsaysay Private Road both under Police Station 2; Lower Rock Quarry, station 5; Pacdal creek under station 3 and Camp 8 creek under station 8.

The mayor made the directive last Feb. 6 after receiving reports that residents, especially those who took up residence near these bodies of water, directly dump their refuse in the creeks.

Earlier, the mayor deputized policemen as environment officers to strengthen the enforcement of environmental and sanitation laws in the barangays including the mobilization of clean-up drives.

“BCPO pledges to enforce laws against those violating the environment code and other related ordinances,” Bulwayan assured.

Following the BCPO’s inspection, the barangays who have jurisdiction over the identified dirty creeks conducted clean-up campaigns particularly Magsaysay Private Road led by punong barangay Debbie Banagui, Pacdal by PB Abraham Lagasca and Camp 8 led by PB Lopito Nabulay.

Bulwayan said the cleanliness program is a regular program of the BCPO in keeping with the “makakalikasan” core value of the Philippine National Police.

“This activity aims to sustain cleanliness within the city, improve solid waste management and raise awareness of the citizens of Baguio in protecting the environment,” he said. – Aileen P. Refuerzo