‘Bantay Dagat’ launched in Davao City

Duterte-Carpo said the project is in support to the call that the first and third Saturday mornings of every month would be allotted for the cleaning of the coastal barangays. (Google maps)

DAVAO CITY — Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio lead the launching the city’s ‘Bantay Dagat’ by holding a coastal clean-up at Times Beach, Davao City on Saturday.

“Kining Bantay Dagat is a project of the City Government of Davao, complimentary project ni siya sa atong Bantay Bukid (This Bantay Dagat is a project of the City Government of Davao, a complimentary project of our Bantay Bukid),” she said.

Bantay Bukid is a community-based organization deputized as forest guards to help the city protect its watersheds against destructive activities in the forests, including the extraction of resources like animals and plants. It is a partnership with the Interface Development Interventions, Inc (IDIS) and the Philippine Eagle Foundation to provide incentives and uniforms to around 200 volunteers of Bantay Bukid.

Bantay Dagat will take charge of the sea and coastal areas.

Duterte-Carpo said the project is in support to the call that the first and third Saturday mornings of every month would be allotted for the cleaning of the coastal barangays.

“The first Saturday will have a food for work component meaning there will be allotment for 30 persons who will be given food packs in exchange for garbage coming from the beach lines,” she said.

The lady mayor said there would be paid volunteers also who would clean the coastal areas every Saturday.

“Four Saturdays, they will work every morning and they will be paid PHP2,000 per month,” she bared.

Meanwhile, the mayor also urged the people living in the coastal barangays not to throw their garbage to the sea and practice waste segregation.

“Kung unsa tong ilang mabaligya sa recycling ilang ibaligya. Kung adunay dili mabaligya sa recycling shops, ilaha kining tapukon og ilabay sa correct nga basurahan (if there are garbage that can be sold from their recycling, they can sell it. If there is garbage that cannot be sold, they need to throw it in a proper dumping area),” she said.