Group urges Antipolo pilgrimage participants to avoid littering

Photo courtesy of EcoWaste Coalition

MANILA, Philippines — Now that Holy Week has started, pro-environmental group EcoWaste Coalition urged the public and Catholic devotees to avoid littering during the observance of penitential “Alay Lakad” pilgrimage in Antipolo City this  Maundy Thursday.

EcoWaste’s statement also backs the local government of Antipolo’s call for a peaceful, solemn, clean, and safe penitential walk.

“We appeal to everyone, especially the youth, to heed the advice by the Antipolo Cathedral and the local government and police authorities to keep this year’s penitential walk clean and for them not to leave any trail of trash like in previous occasions,” EcoWaste Coalition zero waste campaigner Ochie Tolentino said in a statement on Monday.

Last year, an estimated six million individuals participated in the penitential walk, which resumed after a three-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Citing the Antipolo City government’s advisory, the group said participants should keep the church clean, reminding them that leaving garbage in the prayer areas and roads leading to the shrine is strictly prohibited.

“As the first international shrine in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, as recently declared by the Holy See, let us show our love and respect to the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage by keeping her home and surroundings litter-free, like what we will normally do in our humble abodes,” Tolentino said.

The group also reminded the public to be conscious of their responsibility to the environment as they manifest their faith, hoping that the rampant littering during the Black Nazarene’s ‘Traslacion’ on January 9 would not happen again.

READ: Traslacion 2024: 158 truckloads of garbage collected

“Local authorities will surely deploy hundreds of sweepers to keep the streets leading to Antipolo Cathedral clean. That there will be people assigned to pick up after us is no reason why we should toss trash anywhere, especially for a penitential act driven by our strong belief and trust in the Lord,” Tolentino said.

“We also call upon all street vendors and eateries to pay attention to how they can prevent and reduce garbage as they take advantage of the hordes of tourists. Please minimize the use of plastic disposables and be sure to clean up the area where you sell from,” she added.

Below are some tips EcoWaste shared for the observance of a clean “Alay Lakad” this year:

• Bring water in a reusable container to avoid the consumption and disposal of water in plastic bottles.
• Have your water bottle refilled in water stations set up by volunteer associations and some households.
• Avoid food served in single-use plastic packaging like disposable plastic foam containers.
• Bring a reusable bag for popular “pasalubong” like suman and kasoy to cut the use of plastic sando bags.
• Never drop or leave any litter behind. Keep your trash with you until you have found proper garbage bins to place them in.