Picnics cap islandwide cleanup drive

Marianas Variety, Monday, October 23, 2006
By Emmanuel T. Erediano
Variety News Staff

PICNICS all over the island took place on Friday, following Beautify CNMI!’s “1020 on 10/20” cleanup drive that drew support from government agencies, the business sector and ordinary members of the community.

From Pau Pau beach to a stretch of Chalan Pale Arnold in San Roque, and all the way to Laolao Bay in Kagman, people from different walks of life joined the campaign that aims to keep the island clean and green.

Beauty CNMI!’s goal was to get at least 1,020 volunteers for the Oct. 20 cleanup and ended up with over 3,200 volunteers.

The campaign was also supported by the Marianas Visitors Authority which provided $10,000 for the cleanup.
Tan Holdings, which owns garment factories, bought 1,000 T-shirts for the volunteers while Bob Jones of Triple J bought 1,000 bumper stickers.

Star Water, Saipan Ice and Marianas Ice donated broken water bottles that were used as planters.

Fiesta donated trees. While Hyatt, Aqua Resort, and Century Hotel donated prizes.

Aquarius provided the meeting space, Errico offered to pick up recyclables at schools, Pacific Trading provided banners and Balli Steel helped get rid of junk cars.

Aqua Resort also hosted fundraisers for the cleanup drive while Laolao Bay Golf Course became the driving force behind the 1020 recruitment scheme in Kagman.

Acting Gov. Timothy P. Villagomez, Sen. Maria T. Pangelinan, D-Saipan, Reps. Cinta M. Kaipat, Covenant Saipan, Absalon Waki, Covenant-Saipan were among the officials who joined the islandwide campaign which also drew the participation of the Division of Environmental Quality, MVA, the Office of the Public Auditor, the Filipino organization MOVER, the Kagman Komunidat Association and Hotel Nikko.

DEQ spokeswoman Reina Camacho said Beautify CNMI! is not a formal group.

“Beautify CNMI! was never officially formed. We are a loose coalition with no formal structure. We are constantly changing and taking on new people, ideas, and projects…the idea was born in May and our first project was recycling during the Liberation Day fair. On June 19, we planted four flame trees...and the rest is history,” she said.