City spearheads ‘Ayuda Limpiesa’
Thousands of college students and volunteer groups from government and private agencies including barangay folks turned up yesterday morning for the Ayuda Limpiesa, a cleanliness drive initiated by the city government in line with Tourism Week.
Now on its 6th year, the Ayuda Limpiesa covered the main public market, Sucabon River, the R.T. Lim Boulevard, the premises of City Hall and major thoroughfares of the city.
City Administrator Antonio Orendain Jr. thanked the participating agencies and groups for their support and cooperation.
The Ayuda Limpiesa in line with the Tourism Week celebration is not the only clean-up activity spearheaded by the city. Similar activities are held once in a while to encourage and instil discipline among the residents.
On several occasions, Mayor Celso Lobregat has emphasized that maintaining cleanliness and sanitation is not the responsibility of each and every resident of the city. “All of us are garbage generators and so we have to do our share to keep our surroundings and our city clean”.
Among the agencies that supported the clean up drive yesterday were personnel from the General Services Office, City Engineer’s Office, City Administrator’s Office (public market division), Zamboanga City Fire Department, volunteers from the C.E.L.S.O. program, police department and the student volunteers from various colleges and universities.
The Ayuda Limpiesa will continue until today, September 27. It is the culminating activity for Tourism Week.
Tourism Week in Zamboanga kicked off with the drum and lyre competition last Sept. 22 and‘Paseo’ or free tour of various landmarks in the city for elementary students.
The Tourism Week celebration was organized by the City Mayor’s Office through the City Tourism and Promotions Division under Sarita Hernandez.
Tourism is part and parcel of the city’s economy and its promotion is in line with the end goal of making Zamboanga an important tourist hub in this part of the country. (Sheila Covarrubias)