A record 265 volunteers turned out recently to participate in a major clean-up of the beach area of Barangay Sampinit in Bago City.
The clean-up was coordinated by the Rotary Club of Bacolod-Marapara and the Interact Club of St. Scholastica-Marapara, in collaboration with local government officials and local companies. Some 240 bags of garbage were collected.
Bago was chosen for the clean-up by 15-year-old Maria Samantha Pico, who hails from the city, but now lives in Houston, Texas.
Samantha’s Interact Club in Houston, planned a clean-up of Galveston Beach in Texas. Although no longer living in Negros, Samantha’s heart is still very much in the province and she decided to initiate a similar activity in her hometown.
Knowing of the long-standing coastal clean-up drive of the Rotary Club of Bacolod-Marapara, she approached the club suggesting a joint activity in Bago City.
“The response to the clean-up was outstanding,” said Marapara Rotary president, Igy Villarosa. “We were delighted to work with Samantha and the Interact Club members. I would like to thank them and all the volunteers, the local government units and local companies for their enthusiasm in the quest to keep our coastal areas clean and safe.”
Samantha hopes that one day, working with Rotary Clubs and local schools, the entire coastline of Negros can be cleaned-up.*
