Inulan ng papuri ang Australian na si Mike Smith.
Sa kanyang Instagram post noong March 25, 2024, sinabi ni Mark na nasa Pilipinas siya para sa isang project: ang linisin ang Pateros River na punung-puno ng mga basura.
Ipinakita niya ang video ng Pateros River na dahil sa dami ng basura ay wala na halos makitang tubig.
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Ayon kay Mark, ang Pateros River daw ang pinakamaruming ilog na nakita niya sa Metro Manila.
"I've been chatting with some of the locals.
"And they told me this used to be a beautiful location. And now it's completely covered with rubbish."
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Kaya ang naging misyon niya at ng mga kasama ay linisin ang ilog at tanggalin ang lahat ng piraso ng basura na itinapon roon sa loob ng sampung araw.
Pakiusap pa ni Mike, na may IG handle @mikesmithsprojects, "Please share if you want to see less rivers that look like this."
Ipinakita rin niya ang before and after photos kung saan makikita kung gaano karumi ang Pateros River noong puno pa ng mga basura, at ngayon na nalinis na niya.
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Komento ng isang netizen, “This bloke deserves more follows.
“It took an Australian dad to clean the rivers of Pateros. A bit shameful for us locals but I hope someone from the locality got inspired by what he did.”
Pakiusap ng isa pang netizen, “Please give Mike Smith a follow on Instagram so that he can continue to do his work of cleaning rivers and making people aware of our environment.”
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May nagtanong din kay Mike kung may tumulong na mga locals sa kanyang proyekto.
Aniya, “They do! We had over 150 Filipino volunteers at this cleanup!”
Bukod sa mga Filipino volunteers, nakatuwang ni Mike sa isinagawang clean-up drive ang eco-friendly home care and cleaning company na Zero Co Australia, o @zeroco.com.au sa Instagram, at ang Australian wine company na The Hidden Sea, o @thehiddenseawine sa Instagram
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Natanggal nila sa Pateros River ang mahigit 100,000 kilo ng basura.
Nang tanungin kung ano ang gagawin sa mga basura, ani Mike, “Right now it’s all going to landfill, but we’re working on a project this month to bring a local recycling plant into the project.
“Small steps, piece by piece. But we’ll get there.”
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