American biologist’s clean up drive snowballs in Davao City

“The barangay does not enforce the laws– from sidewalk vendors to no business permits and construction,” he said in an interview. (PNA Photo)

“The barangay does not enforce the laws– from sidewalk vendors to no business permits and construction,” he said in an interview. (PNA Photo)

MANILA — Frustrated with the inaction of some barangay (village) officials in his community, Davao City-based American biologist Darrell Blatchley did the cleaning himself instead. Days later, more people followed suit.

Blatchley, owner of D’ Bone Museum that is gaining attraction with its unique display and information for marine and land animals, has already reached out to some officials in Barangay Bucana to address the problem of waste management.

“The barangay does not enforce the laws– from sidewalk vendors to no business permits and construction,” he said in an interview.

“I posted on social media [Wednesday] night– a canal across the museum showing the trash and yet no enforcement. And on my post, someone commented: ‘I challenge you to clean it’. I said CHALLENGE ACCEPTED,” Blatchley added, referring to the congested drainage just below a karinderya (small eatery).

He claimed that waste materials from the eatery and other houses go directly to the gutter which is a violation of existing laws.

“The problem is lazy people. From barangay captains who don’t enforce the laws and sit in their offices to the lazy people who see canals as the trash can.

It’s a nation’s problem,” he said.

On Thursday, Blatchley and two of his staff pulled out heaps of trash and debris from their mini clean-up drive. The members of the Davao City Disaster Team also helped as well as various media outlets and the City Mayor’s Office.

On their second day, trucks and more men showed up to help decongest the gutters in the area.

“[We filled] one dump truck and less than 20 meters of kanal (drainage gutter) were cleaned,” he said.

Staff from the City Canal Division, helped with the clean-up with a truck in tow.

Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources also commended Blatchley’s initiative via Twitter.

“Cheers to this guy! Let’s hope this stirs shame in locals who carelessly throw their trash anywhere, and that he will inspire others to do their own clean-up too,” it said.