By Sarah Estha S. Ong

CAS Dean, PASSC Elected Officials, and Environment Committee members join partner organizations and ILIG Batiano, Sta. Cruz Villa Barangay Officials for a commemorative group photo.

On May 31, 2025, CPU PASSC, in collaboration with ILIG Batiano, led a clean-up drive along the Batiano River in Brgy. Sto. Niño Sur, Villa Arevalo, Iloilo City. The activity focused on educating youth about the river’s current state and mobilizing them to take part in its rehabilitation.

The clean-up is part of the broader Flowing Forward project, launched in October 2024 with the forum Batiano: Why Rivers and Waterways Matter. This initiative aims to reconnect the community with the Batiano River and contribute to long-term efforts to restore its ecological health.

To ensure smooth coordination, CPU PASSC and ILIG Batiano worked closely with the Iloilo City Government, through the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) headed by Janis Mae Sy, and the General Services Office (GSO) under Engr. Neil Ravena.

The event showcased strong collaboration across sectors, with support from Brgy. Sta. Cruz council members and Sangguniang Kabataan, Hulag Ta! Sta. Cruz Volunteers, Sta. Cruz Youth Ministry, Brgy. Sto. Niño Sur, Iloilo Hotels, Restaurants, and Resorts Association (IHRRA), FF Cruz Shipping Corporation, and Café Gloria.

Centralian participation was represented by the CPU Biological Society, Association of Political Science and Public Administration Students (APPS-CPU), and the Reform Organization. Dean Stella G. Fernandez of the College of Arts and Sciences was also present to show support and solidarity with the student-led environmental initiative.

The event proved to be both productive and enlightening, reinforcing the importance of environmental responsibility and community engagement in preserving Iloilo’s waterways.