Pulis Pangkalikasan: CORPS Members Initiate Environmental Information and Education Campaign to Save the Meycauayan River.

After four harrowing hours of patrolling, inspecting and cleaning the toxic shores of the Meycauayan river last May 12, 2011, PSUPT Eric E. Noble knew had something to do about it-immediately!

The Meycauayan, Obando and Marilao river system which serves as a catch basin (Editor’s Note: septic tank to be more precise) for the piggeries, poultries, mines, factories and residents of the whole province of Bulacan is considered one the most polluted place in the world in the year 2005 and is still being depended upon by rural fishermen although no “edible” sea fauna has lived there since the year 2000.

PSUPT Noble, Chief of Police of Meycauayan City Bulacan, was moved by the degradation of this storied river who’s great shores witnessed the fall of hundreds Filipino revolutionaries depending it during the siege of Malolos. He knew that patrolling its shores for anyone throwing garbage into the river would only have a temporal impact. With the help of his brothers from the CORPS Movement Foundation who was visiting him at the time, Col. Noble immediately (a timeframe of 2hours) devised and implemented a program which would guarantee a lasting and significant effort to save the river.

(The Meycauayan River During The Philippine-American War)

First, they sat down and defined all possible causes of the pollution by a problem tree analysis. Then, they eliminated those that were out of the jurisdiction of the Meycauayan police. Next, they looked at the problems that they could readily address. Finally, they found out that an environmental information and education campaign incorporated in the police community relations program of the Meycauayan Police Station was the most responsive and sustainable contribution that they could give in the effort to save the river.

A spontaneous orientation on the key police officers of Meycauayan followed suite. Boi Manuel and Jojo Dellosa of the CORPS Movement and Ptr. Dan Afuang of the JOSHUA Ministry of the Greenhills Christian Fellowship conducted the briefing on how to inform, educate and mobilize the community in saving the river to the leading of officers (Administration, Operations and PCR) of Meycauayan Police Station.

The Police Community Relations team will take the lead and will tap the local Barangay’s, Churches, Schools, Private Business,  Driver’s Association, Vendor’s Association as well as other organizations which are concerned with welfare the of the river.

PSUPT Noble on his part readily set up a fanpage on Facebook   which will be the information and coordination center of all efforts of the Meycauayan police and the community to save the river. 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-of-Marilao-Meycauayan-Obando-MMO-River-System/

Once gathered and mobilized through the help of Ptr. Ismael Jiao, BOC Meycauayan Volunteer and also a ministerial head in the city, the CORPS Movement, with the help of the Meycauayan Police, plans to establish a foundation which will maintain and focus all efforts to save the river which could eventually lead to dredging and cleaning of the river. It will also serve as a platform to share the gospel to all that the Meycauayan police and the CORPS Movement have organized.

PSUPT Noble and The CORPS Movement believes that as good stewards to all of God’s riches we should all do our part in cleaning and protecting the environment.