More Than 300 YFC Members Give a Hand In Estero de Pandacan Clean-Up

Here's something that should inspire other young people to make a difference.

Press Release:

Around 320 Youth for Christ (YFC) members participated in an Estero de Pandacan clean-up as part of their Greeneration project (G-project) and to help in the river rehabilitation project of ABS-CBN Foundation, Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig (KBPIP), which led the activity last April 3, 2013 at Brgy. 841, Pandacan, Manila.

The G-project with the theme, “Green generation for a greener nation” is an annual event under the International Leaders Conference of YFC which is attended by the participants of the clean-up. Estero de Pandacan, which is one of the 47 esteros that flow to the Pasig River, was chosen for the clean-up as part of this year’s G-project and to help in the river rehab project of KBPIP. “Greeneration is one of the advocacy ng YFC. Youth for Christ does this to be stewards of our environment, to make sure na if we pray, we put our prayers into action,” explained Lucky Dulla, YFC Greeneration advocacy head.

The activity started in a tour around Estero de Paco to see what changes has been done there and then the group proceeded with the half-day clean-up of Estero de Pandacan.

Filipino YFC members from all over the world attended the activity. Hand-in-hand, the youths cleaned Estero de Pandacan through removing trashes and cleaning its surroundings. Glis Amen, one of YFC members from Cebu said, “At the end of the day, though pagod kami, we would see ourselves smiling because we are fulfilled sa mga ginagawa namin.” The youths also gave a message to the community of Pandacan to maintain and make their environment clean.

Michi Castro, Brgy. 841 chairwoman gave her thanks to the organizers of the clean-up. She hopes that this activity, with the help of the youth and ABS-CBN Foundation, will serve as an eye-opener and encouragement to the residents of Pandacan to maintain and regain the cleanliness of the Estero de Pandacan.

According to Miko Aliño, volunteer officer of KBPIP, the clean-up activity is just part of a bigger rehabilitation process of Estero de Pandacan for this year. KBPIP is looking forward to more developments of this project in Estero de Pandacan. “Inaasahan natin na sa tulong ng mga partners tulad ng Youth for Christ at ating mga donors, at government agencies, malilinis natin ang Estero de Pandacan tulad ng ginawa natin sa Paco saka sa San Miguel,” Aliño said. They also gave their thanks to YFC who helped in making the activity successful. – Christine Kaye P. Javier