City govt, mountaineers clean Sanchez Peak

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (11 May 2015) – The highest peak of Gensan is now clean. 

On May 8 and  9, personnel from the city government and several mountaineering clubs did a thorough cleaning of Sanchez Peak and its surroundings. 

Located within the boundaries of barangays Conel and Olympog, Sanchez Peak is the city’s highest point at about 800 meters above sea level. It is a famous climbing destination due to its breath-taking views of Gensan, Sarangani Bay, and Mt. Matutum. 

Reports of irresponsible climbing to the peak have been going viral lately in Facebook showing garbage and thrash scattered in the area.

This is the reason why City Mayor Ronnel Rivera tasked the City Environment and Natural Resources Office, City Economic Management and Cooperative Development Office, and Human Resource Management and Development Office to spearhead a massive clean-up drive at Sanchez Peak that coincided on the 2nd National Mountain Clean-Up Day.

Mayor Rivera invited mountaineering clubs and environment advocates to join the clean-up drive.

Some of these organizations are the Calumpang Youth for Environment (CALYE), Sarangani Bay Youth Action Network, Wasalak Mountaineering Club, and Baktas MSU.

Faculty from Mindanao State University – General Santos City also took part in the cleaning of Sanchez Peak. 

Around 200 participants joined the clean-up drive. 

Mytoni Dalid, a member of CALYE, said that he is happy that the city government took the initiative to clean Sanchez Peak. 

“Even though it was very rainy, it didn’t deter us from cleaning the peak. We just ignored the bad weather and just pursued picking garbage so that we can see so that we can restore this mountain,” Dalid said. 

On the other hand, Mayor Rivera has already asked the Sangguniang Panlungsod to pass an ordinance that will protect and promote Sanchez Peak as Gensan’s eco-tourist spot. Once implemented, the local government can sanction and penalize anyone who is caught throwing garbage at Sanchez Peak.

“We want to make our environment here in Gensan to be clean and protected. I am asking everyone that we should be responsible and do not litter carelessly,” Mayor Rivera said. (Gensan CPIO/ Ian John Lagare)