I have beautiful memories of the river that passes through the Tulay-Bato, the Tulay-Baraka, and the Lambingan Bridge in Wawa(Pabiluang). I went to school and back on foot from elementary to high school. Looking down from the two bridges near the public market, I was always attracted to the brook-like water current, and the pebbles that can be seen clearly beneath the clear waters.

I walked from school to our home in Wawa, at least four times a day. When we were in the elementary grades, I used to pass through Daan Bilolo, the palengke ( to see my grandmother), then Lati and Pabiluang.
When we were in high school, I took a different route: Arellano (Tangaran), Bagumbayan, and the Bagumbayan-Wawa bridge. Everyday, there were boys having fun either swimming in the river or paddling the lunday in the river. It was very safe to swim in the river during those years.

Now, the water is greenish and littered with all kinds of garbage. It is almost stagnant. It is in a very sorry state. It is literally 'dying' if not yet dead. It is very unsafe to even set foot in it, much less to swim there.

However, I think with concerted effort our river can still be saved. It is a matter of educating the people on proper waste disposal and strict implementation of municipal ordinances, as well as national laws on saving the environment. Somebody or a group must take the lead.

What do you think, batchmates? Please send in your comments and suggestions through our blog. (Luz is willing to post them for you. Please call her up or send your handwritten notes to her.)