Faith keeps town's GPK program alive
Roxas City -- The interfaith communities have become a commendable partner of the local government unit in the greening, cleaning and beautification efforts.
Panay town mayor Felipe Barredo disclosed that because of the various national and local programs undertaken by the local governments, a strong partnership between the community and the officials is very vital for the success of the programs.
Barredo said that the Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran, otherwise known as the Clean and Green project of the national government has become one of the most successful programs at the community level because of the active participation of government, non-government, people's organization and the interfaith communities.
He stressed that in his town, they were able to tap the church leaders of the different religious groups based in Panay town to help in the cleaning and greening program implementation.
The Panay GPK and Solid Waste Management (SWM) Council is chaired by Mayor Barredo, with Vice Mayor Edwin Benliro as Co-chairperson.
According to Barredo, to facilitate and successfully implement the various activities under the GPK and SWM programs, the council has chosen Rev. Father John Marlon Bordo as executive officer with the leaders of the Iglesia ni Cristo, Seventh Day Adventist, Assembly of God, Jehovah's Witnesses, The Church of the Latter Day Saints, Baptists and Roman Catholic as members of the board of directors.
The appreciation of the Pan-ayanons toward the program have helped the communities here to be self reliant and self-sufficient, especially that the program not only addresses the cleanliness, beautification and environmental sanitation but also food security, the mayor stressed.
The mayor pointed out that the zero incidence of dengue case in Panay was also attributed to the high level of awareness of the community because of the vigilance towards the observance of proper environmental sanitation.
Meanwhile, Barredo, who is the president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines in Capiz, appealed for the sustainability of the program and continuance of the drive towards anti-pollution and cleanliness.
(Jemin B. Guillermo/PIA)