JUST a little over a month into the province-wide river clean-up program, positive results are already being observed in the areas that have been dredged and cleared.

Small-scale fisherfolks are now able to freely navigate, for both transport purposes and fishing activities, the waters, which used to be heavily cluttered with illegal structures owned by a few big-time fish pen operators.

Some fishermen also attested that they have had sightings of various marine lives such as the fish talakitok that have been absent in the rivers for a long time.

For this feat, Task Force Kalikasan, the group organized to carry out the clean-up work, recently earned the commendation of the Provincial Board for their efforts.

Paterno Orduña, head of the task force and Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council

Executive Officer, told the Sangguniang Panlalawigan that the success of the program so far should be credited to the commitment and hard work by the members of the task force.

Task Force Kalikasan is composed volunteers from among the provincial employees, police force, local government units and barangay officials.

Orduña said the volunteers work everyday under any condition, either with the scorching heat of the sun or a heavy downpour, and some of them have suffered injuries while carrying out the job.

FLOOD CONTROL

He added that the purchase of a dredging machine by the provincial government helped a lot in removing tons of silts and toxic wastes, which increased the river’s current depth and improved water quality.

“Now the river has an increased capacity to contain large volume of rain waters which will eventually prevent flooding to low-lying areas,” Orduña said.

Orduña said the areas that were prioritized include portions in Binmaley, Lingayen and Bugallon downstream of Agno River where fish pens and cages are concentrated and are impeding the natural flow of water before exiting to the gulf.—LM

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