Luntiang Marikina: River Clean Up Activity with La Liga Mariquina

Hi, my fellow Hivers!
Last Saturday, August 19, I joined a group of volunteers in cleaning up the Marikina River. The event was led by La Liga Mariquina
It was a non-profit organization that focused on giving back to the community and taking action to be a catalyst for change, to rekindle the spirit of "Bayanihan," and to serve as an example that even if you have nothing or are starting from nothing, you have the opportunity to be a part of the working concept of "we can and we will."

Anyways, I saw this volunteering opportunity when I visited my iVolunteer account the activity is quite interesting cause I haven't tried this kind of event so I didn't hesitate to join when they were still looking for volunteers right after I clicked the joined button, I immediately receive an email confirmation and a reminder a week before the event.

I woke up early for this event to familiarise myself on the way and also enjoy the place, to avoid being lost I activated my Google map using my phone because I admit I suck at place directions lol!

I searched the place before the event and the landmark that I remember is the huge famous statue that amazed me.

This 20-foot-high statue is a monument crafted and named after a local folklore story of a generous, affluent woman, known for her beauty (“marikit-na”), during the early foundation of the city.

(don't mind the wire, panira para syang sinasakal haha)

We assembled at exactly 8 AM the facilitator informed us about the place that we needed to clean and the importance of the event they also thanked us for our participation.

I've been with different organizations, including the PNP, BJMP, Teachers, BFP, and other youth and solo individuals.

After the short briefing, we started the cleaning we have designated areas for the clean up however, we are not allowed to go down to the river.

I bring my trash bag and a pair of gloves, and what I do is pick up garbage that may cause harm to the river. I collected a huge amount of rubbish including plastics, bottles, straws, plastic containers, and nonorganic construction debris. I felt bad for the River it was already contaminated by this waste.

These are some wholesome pictures during the activity.

We accumulate approximately 15 bags of garbage, imagine how will affect the whole metro if this is not maintained and cleaned regularly.
The waste that we collect will be submitted to the LGU for proper sanitation.

I spent almost 2 hours in this volunteer work, I'm a little bit tired but the good part is I satisfy my soul while doing the activity.

Despite the long hours and hard work, the results were truly remarkable. The river looked significantly cleaner, and the water quality had improved.

It was a proud moment for me to contribute to such a great cause, and I hope to participate in more clean-up drives in the future to help preserve the natural beauty of the Marikina River.

Thank you to La Liga Mariquina for this initiative and for allowing me to document this kind of activity.

In case, you want to volunteer just message them, here's the FB page
La Liga Mariquina

MY FINAL THOUGHTS

This activity was an eye-opener for me, now I realize why Marikina City always suffers from floods when typhoons occur. We can't blame everyone or the nearby cities and provinces we just need to come up with a solution and kill the idea of blaming each other. Unity is always the key!
I'm not a Marikina citizen and cleaning this part of the area is not my duty but It is my duty as a Filipino Citizen.

This is Mooon, thank you for reading! 🤙

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