City girds for 2005 regional clean and green contest

The city government here is preparing for the upcoming 2005 Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran (GPK) regional clean and green competition.

The regional evaluation team is expected to visit the city anytime this month. Meanwhile, the pre-evaluation is on-going in all barangays and other strategic areas here.

Among the sites expected to be rated by the regional evaluating team are the City Hall building, the different city public markets and government schools, the Calajunan dumpsite, slaughterhouse and the city's nurseries. The evaluation will be done through ocular inspections, spot interviews and review of pertinent documents.

Among the criteria to be evaluated are: physical conditions of the built-up areas which include general cleanliness and urban space greening; support systems provided by the city government on programs and projects on cleanliness, greening, solid waste management, health and sanitation program and the other related efforts on functional structure, equipment and manpower, budgetary requirement and monitoring and enforcement mechanism; and community mobilization and civil society's participation in environmental protection and management.

The GPK-Clean and Green contest is an annual event that is particularly aimed at improving the nation's environment. The activity will enable local government units and their respective constituencies to maintain and sustain the cleanliness of their surroundings.

In an earlier statement, city mayor Jerry P. Treñas stressed that maintaining cleanliness and greening the metropolis should not only be practiced because of the forthcoming competition. Cleaning and greening should be a regular activity for the good of the city and its residents, he said.

Meanwhile, Treñas is expected to issue an executive order creating the various committees that will handle the different aspects of the city's preparation for the competition anytime soon. Last year, the city emerged the winner in the regional level. (Adora Bandorio/PIO)