Luneta Miners Asso. (Itogon) conducts massive clean-up drive
CLEAN-UP DRIVE: Pocket miners from Luneta Miners Association (LMA),.members of their immediate families, and residents of Sitio Luneta, Barangay Loacan-Antamok, Itogon, and Benguet, demonstrate true bayanihan spirit held a clean-up drive in their mining community over the weekend (May 13). John Latongan senior official of LMA said the clean-up drive forms part of their regular environmental-safety-health program. Photos by Primo Agatep
ITOGON, Benguet– Dozens of small-scale miners belonging to Luneta Miners Association, Inc. (LMA) over the weekend held a massive clean-up drive at Sitio Luneta, Barangay Loacan-Antamok here.
John Latongan, LMA president led the clean-up activity at the said mining community.
Before sunrise, LMA pocket miners began scaling mountain slopes surrounding the mining village and the Antamok River and its tributaries to collect garbage.
Before noon, the group including other volunteers transferred to the surrounding Benguet Corp.’s (BC) abandoned Antamok Open pit mine area and picked-up other wastes.
“Today’s clean-up drive is a regular activity of our group. It’s our commitment to protect our environment and promote health and safety,” Latongan said in the vernacular.
Latongan added that the activity is also in support of the environmental efforts of their municipal government as well as the province.
Latongan also expressed his gratitude to the local pocket miners’ volunteerism, their leaders/operators, and the whole community support, and also the assistance extended by the local police force of Itogon.
Pablo Tudlong, board member BFFSMI, said the clean-up drive is in line with Benguet Federation of Small-Scale Miners’ (BFSSMI) environmental health-safety program.
Decades, villagers complained that their mining village had become “catch basin” of all kinds of wastes, especially coming from the upper stream.
They appealed to authorities concerned and to local government units to help them address the problem. ### Primo Agatep
