To culminate the Pride month celebration, leading fiber broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. has partnered with a local LGBTQIA+ advocacy group, Gandola Guinobatan, to clean up the Guinobatan River in Albay province. This is part of its commitment to give back to the planet while supporting the sustainability of communities where it operates.
Over 40 volunteers from Converge and the Gandola Guinobatan group trooped to Brgy. Ilawod in Guinobatan to remove plastic trash and other waste materials surrounding the river banks near the community.
“Napakahalaga ng clean up drive sa mga ganitong communities kasi pag nakita ng residents dito na naglilinis ang kasama nila, mahihikayat sila na linisin din mga ilog dito, na sila din naman ang makikinabang dito (Activities like this clean up drive are very important to these communities as they’re also the ones who benefit from them. When they see others sweep up the trash, they’re encouraged to do the same),” said Reden Alterado, Converge regional manager for South Luzon.
“It’s not just about serving the unserved and underserved, we have a social responsibility to the communities we operate in,” he added.
The river clean up is part of the company’s sustainability commitment, one of the pillars of which is environmental protection. The rivers surrounding Mt. Mayon has long been victims of quarrying and small-scale mining with silt, debris, trash, and hazardous waste from the operations heavily contaminating the waters.
The environmental degradation of the river channels also has the effect of worsening mudslides brought about by frequent typhoons in Albay.
Roughly 50 sacks of solid waste were recovered from the site. These were turned over to Gandola for proper handling and disposal.