Mission Society Church of God cleaned up the streets of Barangay 591, 592, 628, 629, and 630 in Santa Mesa, Manila. On November 24, 90 people, including ASEZ WAO members, their friends and colleagues, worked up a sweat as they cleaned up a 2-kilometer stretch from Teresa Street, Hipodromo Street, and Anonas Street, as part of the “Green Earth” project. ASEZ WAO is a global volunteer group which stands for “Save the Earth from A to Z,” which means “Save the world from the beginning to the end.”
At around 8 a.m., a short opening ceremony was conducted in front of Teresa basketball court. Paul Michael Almeda, the leader of ASEZ WAO in Manila, welcomed the volunteers and thanked all the officials and staff who supported the event. Barangay 630 Chairwoman Cristina Lara gave her opening remarks during the event, saying, “Ito po ay napakalaking bagay para sa atin at tayo ay tinutulungan para mapatupad natin ang kalinisan sa ating lugar.” (This is a huge matter for us as they are helping us to implement cleanliness in our place.)
Then, the cleanup activity commenced. For almost two hours, the volunteers cleaned up the area extending from Teresa Street, lined with shops, to Hipodromo Street which is lined with densely packed houses. They meticulously collected various types of trash left on the streets, including dried leaves, wooden planks, cigarette butts, water bottles, and cardboard boxes, as well as plastic bags, packaging materials, and plastic cups that were dumped on railroad tracks and vacant lots. The trash collected this day reached 186.85 kg in 48 recycled sacks. The City of Manila Department of Public Services of District 6 also graced the event and supported the proper disposal of the collected garbage.
Ms. Irene Pimpe, the monitoring head of Manila DPS in District 6 Zone 63 said, “Sana ituloy-tuloy niyo lang kasi maganda ang inyong adhikain para maging malinis ang ating kapaligiran. Naniniwala ako na marami pa rin ang gusto ng kalinisan kaya mas maganda na magtagal pa ang ganitong proyekto.” (I hope you will continue because your aspiration to make our environment clean is good. I believe that there are still many people who want cleanliness, so it is better if this kind of project lasts longer.)
Sophia Nicole Dela Cruz, an ASEZ WAO youth volunteer, looked at the cleaned-up streets and said proudly, “I am glad that I participated in this event. I hope that many young people like me will volunteer in these kinds of activities and spend their time in worthwhile activities for the environment.”
ASEZ WAO has been carrying out multiple volunteer activities all over Metro Manila. In addition to the “Green Earth” project, ASEZ WAO has been actively conducting the “Blue Ocean” project to clean up streams, rivers, and seas, the “Mother’s Forest” project aimed at contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions and the enhancement of biodiversity, and the “No More GPGP” project aimed at spearheading the efforts to reduce plastic waste. This year, too, ASEZ WAO has cleaned up the streets in downtown Manila and planted trees in the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park and in La Mesa Nature Reserve, Quezon City, and has also visited childcare facilities under Mandaluyong City Social Welfare and Development Department, providing food for the children there.
Especially this year, ASEZ WAO has actively planted trees all across the country, in an effort to combat global warming. In addition to planting 2,000 trees in Baclay Forest, Pagadian, on November 10, ASEZ WAO has worked hard to restore forests on the islands of Luzon and Mindanao, in cooperation with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). ASEZ WAO also spearheads efforts to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the environment through environmental forums, seminars, and campaigns. In August and September, ASEZ WAO conducted a series of forums in Quezon City, Las Piñas, Tacloban, Ormoc, Digos, etc.
ASEZ WAO carries out a wide range of activities, including climate change response efforts, educational support, welfare promotion, disaster relief, and cultural exchange, to achieve sustainable development for the people and the planet. In recognition and support of the young adults’ efforts, ASEZ WAO has received Certificates of Commendation and Certificates of Appreciation from Presidents of the United States, President of the Congress of Peru, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Regional Director, and from many other people or organizations around the world. ASEZ WAO has also received multiple awards from around the country, including a Plaque of Commendation from a member of the House of Representatives, Certificate of Appreciation from the governor of Leyte, and a Certificate of Appreciation from Imus City Environment and Natural Resources Officer.
