Now reaching close to 21,000 barangays nationwide, the KALINISAN program of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) over the weekend reported that it has already collected 34.4 million kilograms of wastes from January to April 15, 2024.

DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos said that the weekly clean-up effort is a longstanding commitment of the national government to carry the bayanihan spirit through a multi-sectoral effort to ensure cleaner and greener communities.

KALINISAN Project, or Kalinga at Inisyatiba para sa Malinis na Bayan, is the DILG’s convergence initiative to maintain and provide a healthy and safe environment and enable community participation anchored on the spirit of Bayanihan.

Abalos said that as of April 15, 2024, the KALINISAN initiative already gathered 580,224 participants from 20,974 barangays.

He continued these numbers are encouraging and a clear demonstration of the Filipino people’s solidarity.

On Saturday morning, KALINISAN returned to Barangay Holy Spirit, Quezon City where a total of 930 KALINISAN advocates from the barangay and from various sectors participated in the activity.

They conducted urban gardening in the newly-built Halina’t Magtanim ng Prutas at Gulay (HAPAG) Community Garden, in addition to their existing Gulayan at Bulaklakan Research and Training Center.

KALINISAN sa Bagong Pilipinas Clean-up Drive was initially showcased in Barangay Holy Spirit, Quezon City last February 24.

The barangay also reported road clearing initiatives where it recorded 92 streets and 6200 structures cleared within 6 months of operation through voluntary demolition.

DILG issued Memorandum Circular 2020-085 and Memorandum Circular No. 2023-017 underscoring policies on road clearing implementation among local government units (LGUs).

Representing the DILG in the said activity were Undersecretaries Felicito Valmocina and Serafin Baretto and Assistant Secretary Elizabeth Lopez-De Leon together with other local and barangay officials.