Seizing the momentum following the successful launch of the Kalinga at Inisyatiba para sa Malinis na Bayan (KALINISAN Program), Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos has called on all Filipinos to make cleanliness a part of their everyday life.

This, as he lauded and thanked the 33,403 barangays and the 1.616-million Filipinos who participated in the recent simultaneous launching of the program in various parts of the country.

“Sa ngalan ng ating mahal na Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., maraming-maraming salamat sa lahat ng barangay at sa ating mga mamamayan na nakiisa at nakilahok sa bagong bayanihan ng mga mamamayan para sa KALINISAN,” said Abalos.

“Gawin natin itong way of life. Dapat kahit saan tayo magpunta malinis,” he added.

He also commended Regions I, III and VII after 100% of barangays in the said regions participated in the KALINISAN program launch.

Citing a report from the DILG’s National Barangay Operations Office, Abalos said the KALINISAN program launch collected a total of 6.307-million kilograms of trash across the country, most of which came from Region VII (989,879 kilos); National Capital Region (866,773 kilos); and Region V (665,635 kilos).

On the other hand, the biggest contingent of participants came from Region 1 with 204,607 community residents, followed by Region VI with 181,611, and CALABARZON with 166,000 participants.

“Huwag po sanang ningas-cogon lang. Sana ay tuloy-tuloy ang ating commitment para sa KALINISAN,” he said.

The DILG Secretary said the Department is finalizing guidelines on the monitoring of weekly clean-up drives of all barangays nationwide.

Consultations will also be conducted with concerned agencies and offices to finalize the incentives, indicators, and assessment tools of the said program as part of the DILG’s move to award the cleanest barangays.

The nationwide launch of the KALINISAN Project coincided with the celebration of the annual Community Development Day last January 6.