Bacolod City – One hundred seventy volunteers from DENR PENRO Negros Occidental, CENRO Cadiz, TSPS-Negros Occidental, Escalante City ENRO, Philippine Coast Guard – Escalante Substation, Philippine National Police – Escalante City, maritime group, barangay officials, people’s organizations, and stakeholders joined in the International Coastal Cleanup Day with the theme, “Fighting for Trash-Free Seas, Pilipinas! Ending the Flow of Trash at the Source”.
Around 126 sacks of garbage weighing 6,514.3 lbs. were collected along the 965-meter shoreline of Purok Sta. Cruz. Garbage collected were mostly composed of ghost nets, diapers, polyethylene twines, tires, single-use plastics, food wrappers, plastic bottles, cans, cigarette butts, and food containers.
A short program was conducted after the clean-up to encourage the community to be actively involved in all environment-related events. Executive Assistant Rolyn Cabus welcomed all participants and emphasized the impacts of our actions towards our environment.
Kagawad Tommy Montinola highlighted the different ways that can be done in order to minimize effects of improper waste disposal.
Jimmy Alfanta of City ENRO also discussed salient points on Solid Waste Management and encouraged the community to conduct clean-up activities regularly and not only during the ICC
Chief TSD, Catherine Balasa gave her closing message on behalf of OIC, PENRO Joan Nathaniel Gerangaya, thanking everyone who took part in the activity wherein she also reiterated that we should all be part of the solution and not the problem.
In the same way, PENRO Gerangaya led the clean-up activity at Brgy Batea and Madalag, E.B. Magalona with CENRO Bago City personnel in collaboration with the Local Government Unit of E.B. Magalona represented by their MENRO Jojo Vargas.
A total of 365 kg of waste were collected at Barangays Madalag and Batea, composed of mostly single-use plastics, styros, plastic bottles and cigarette butts. Personnel from CENRO Bago, NNNP, MENRO EB Magalona and residents of both barangays joined in the ICC.
The third Saturday of September is declared annually as the International Coastal Cleanup Day in the Philippines pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 470 Series of 2003. (News & photo courtesy of NOPIO)