Negros Oriental will kick-off this year’s Environment Month celebration with a “walk-clean-and-bike for the environment” activity on June 1.

The Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) of the provincial government in coordination with Metro Dumaguete Road Runners Club and group of biker will identify areas in Metro Dumaguete that need to be cleaned up.

The bikers and marathon runners and walkers will gather trash along the roads to promote environmental consciousness among the public, Division Chief Mercy Teves of ENRD said.

Also, during the opening of classes on June 6, public schools are expected to initiate school-based activities such as “Oplan Linis” to clean school premises.

Together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), ENRD also has lined-up activities such as on the spot poster and essay writing contest among public elementary and high schools; and coastal and riverways clean-up with colleges and universities in the city to be assigned in the area.

Teves said local police officers from the different city and municipal police stations will soon undergo extensive training and orientation on environmental laws.

The training-orientation will help strengthen the implementation of environmental laws to protect the province’s natural resources, said Teves.

Thus, the police also have to run after enemies of the environment in accordance with Republic Act 9141 known as Conservation and Protection of Wildlife Resources. (PIA NegOr/JCT)