VMC conducts river clean-up

Employees and volunteers fished a total of 545 kilos of waste from various areas surrounding the Sicaba River during the river clean-up program of Victorias Milling Company in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental recently.

The program is part of the rehabilitation and clean-up commitment of VMC under a Memorandum of Agreement with the Environmental Management Bureau Region of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

VMC river clean-up team leaders, Erollplen Arroyo and Jhonnielyn Joy Fidel said most of the collected solid wastes are from “domestic source.”

“Nearby houses dump their garbage along the riverside of SICABA in which more solid wastes accumulate and being washed offshore,”Arroyo said, adding that they will recommend for a proper dumping site, away from the river which is accessible to garbage collectors.

During waste segregation, 310 kilos of waste were biodegradable while 194 were recyclable. The rest were residual and special wastes.

VMC President Minnie Chua said this continuing environmental program includes regular water quality monitoring of the river and its tributaries as well as trainings and advocacy program for the community.

“Environment protection has been part of our thrust and this program will help foster better relations with Cadiz and Manapla that are part of our constituency,” Chua said, adding that they’ve solicited the help of “environmental experts to implement a holistic and sustainable rehabilitation program in Sicaba.”*