Three of the province’s larger rivers will undergo “comprehensive” cleaning as part of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) clean-up campaign for 12 pilot river systems in Central Visayas.

According to DENR-7 director Gilbert Gonzales, the initiative was launched after Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu threatened to remove the department’s regional chiefs from their posts should they fail to clean up rivers and tributaries in their respective areas.

The three rivers in Bohol included in the campaign are the Abatan River in Cortes, Inabanga River in Inabanga and Manaba River in Garcia Hernandez.

Meanwhile, nine other rivers in the region will also be part of the program, namely Guadalupe River, Sapangdaku River and their tributaries in Lusaran, Cebu City and Toledo City; Bulacao River in Cebu City and Talisay City; Guinduran River in Minglanilla; and Luyang River in Carmen in the province of Cebu and Banica River in Dumaguete, Panamangan River in Bais City and Sicopong River in the province of Negros Oriental.

Gonzales said that he ordered all provincial environment officers to finalize the profiling of rivers and tributaries in the region and to coordinate with local government units and stakeholders in implementing the campaign.

The clean-up operations are initially set to be done twice a month on the second and last Saturdays of the month.

Earlier, Cimatu vowed to inspect all of the rivers in the country six months after the 4^th International River Summit which was held in November.

Regions that will be adjudged to have the cleanest rivers will be given awards. (rt)