Thousands of volunteers from across the Zamboanga Peninsula gathered at coastal areas yesterday for a simultaneous cleanup in celebration of International Coastal Cleanup Day, themed “Clean Seas for Blue Economy” and in observance of Maritime Archipelagic Nation Month (MANA MO).
Organized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region IX, the event drew around almost 3000 volunteers from various sectors, including government agencies, local government units, businesses, the military, educational institutions, and civic organizations.
During the cleanup, 3,686 volunteers collected approximately 2,634 trash bags/sacks weighing around 29 tons of waste from 22 cleanup sites. Common items included plastic wrappers, bags, used tires, PET bottles, and other debris that threaten marine biodiversity. All trash gathered by the volunteers were collected by garbage trucks from the local government units for proper disposal.
DENR IX Regional Executive Director Arturo E. Fadriquela stated, “We celebrate this mission by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 470, S. 2003, which designates the third Saturday of each year as International Coastal Cleanup Day. It’s a day of reckoning when we unite globally to care for our coastlines, oceans, and the life they support.”
He further emphasized, “This year’s theme aligns closely with the objectives of the UN Ocean Decade Challenge 4: to develop a sustainable and equitable ocean economy. This challenge calls us to ensure that our oceans remain the foundation of a thriving blue economy while preserving the health and productivity of marine biodiversity.”
“Let the spirit of collaboration, determination, and purpose guide our way forward. In our hands lies the power to ensure our oceans remain a source of life,” Fadriquela concluded.
(Source: DENR ZamPen)