IN LINE WITH the San Beda Community Engagement Center Week (CEC), the Bedan Information Technology Society (BITS) organized a clean-up drive at the campus last September 13.
Headed by the organization’s Vice President for External Affairs and interim Director of Community Involvement, Leigh Rojas, the Clean Up Drive was executed by BITS’ Executive Board and Board of Directors, as well as several other volunteers.
Participants cleaned and picked up litter and waste from the sidewalk, soil, trees, and bushes in front of San Beda University (SBU). This activity alone was an act of promoting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the protection of the environment and the Benedictine core values of “Stewardship, Discipline, and Love for God and neighbor.”
The day before the activity, the organization called for donations for the Clean Up Drive via their Facebook page. “Let us embody our Bedan Spirit by donating and helping out our community,” the post said.
Carl Dion Liwanag, the president of BITS, explained that they “organized this clean-up drive in line with the CEC Week as BITS wanted to contribute to the community even in the smallest way possible.” He also added that this activity aimed of addressing environmental concerns and promote community engagement underlining the importance of a “clean and healthy environment.”
Liwanag emphasized the important role that Leigh Rojas played in the collaboration efforts with the CEC. He said “her leadership played a crucial role in coordinating with the CEC, while the officers participated in the clean-up drive.”
Describing the participants’ collaborative experience with the clean-up, the organization’s president says that there were “hard-to-reach places including under huge bushes and waste in the soil itself.”
Despite the challenge, the clean-up drive was a success as the participants collected a significant amount of plastic, plastic bottles, non-biodegradable materials, and glass bottles in front of SBU’s gates.
However, in their second round of cleaning, a new set of litter and trash were found around the same area they had cleaned, so they pleaded with the Bedan community for help.
In collaboration with the CEC, Liwanag mentioned the support they were given for the Clean-Up Drive through being granted ‘leeway’ in conducting the event. “The CEC was supportive and gave us the materials we were lacking and they were able to promote the event through their Facebook page which could hopefully inspire the community,” he added.
The Clean-Up Drive coincided with the organization’s call for donations to help the efforts being made for the event. Furthermore, Liwanag stated that the organization “always seeks to be engaged with the community through these types of events,” while hinting how BITS has a lot in store for community engagement.
Following the success of the clean-up drive, Liwanag, on behalf of BITS, encouraged the Bedan community “to continue practicing responsible waste disposal and to join us in our ongoing efforts to keep our community clean and sustainable. Together, we can make a lasting difference.”
(with Mika Isidro)
Photo courtesy of BITS
