The Trashing of the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto in San Jose del Monte City

Today, Black Saturday, the EcoWaste Coalition went back to the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto in San Jose del Monte City to check on the garbage situation at the religious park following the influx of pilgrims yesterday, Good Friday.   As anticipated, we were greeted with an upsetting sight:  garbage was strewn all over the site from the entrance to the Stations of the Cross where people flock to pray.  The hills, featuring life-sized images depicting the agony, death and resurrection of Christ, were dotted not with flowers, but with plastic trash.  The garbage left by picnickers turned the picnic area, which is next to the grotto, into a big mess unsuitable for picnicking.  From what we have seen, the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto could be a top candidate for the most-litter strewn pilgrimage site and this is largely due to the lack of discipline and indifferent attitude towards the environment by some of the pilgrims.  The limited number of the dedicated staff and volunteers of the Grotto Shrine Foundation, who could be seen picking up the litter and tidying up the site, was no match to the large number of pilgrims.