The Philippine Coast Guards (PCG) joined the Dolomite Beach cleanup drive during the ICC Day (Photo courtesy of PCG/ INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines – More than 4,500 sacks of garbage were collected from Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) headed a cleanup drive, last September 17.
In celebration of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day 2022, over 4,000 volunteers joined the cleanup activity with the theme "Fighting for Trash Seas- Pilipinas: Ending the Flow of Trash at the Source."
DENR-Metropolitan Environmental Office (MEO) West OIC Director Rodelina de Villa said that most trash gathered are plastic waste, dried water hyacinths, and marine debris.
"Volunteers from government, private organizations, and private individuals came to the Baywalk's coastline with their own garbage bags as well," de Villa stated.
De Villa added that the DENR Central Office provided 3,000 sacks through the Manila Bay Coordinating Office (MBCO), while 1,500 trash bags came from the DENR-National Capital Region, which includes the DENR-MEO West.
National and local government agencies and private organizations include the Manila City government, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, Philippine National Police (PNP), PNP-Maritime Group, and Philippine Coast Guard also participated in the event and donated additional trash bags.
Additionally, Maynilad Water Services Inc., Manila Water Company Inc., and the Dragon Boat Federation of the Philippines participated in the said event. The cleanup activity is one of the eight events that the DENR led in Metro Manila in observance of the ICC Day, which is happening annually every third Saturday of September.
As of July 12 to September 12, 147,939 sacks of solid waste have been collected in cleanup activities, according to the data of DENR-MEO-West, supervising the maintenance of the 500-meter beach walk.
This year, a total of 83, 109 sacks of water hyacinth were also collected which includes the 2, 224 sacks of marine debris.
The beach has experienced many cleanup drives since it publicly opened in September 2021.
However, when the dolomite beach opened last year, it faced so many controversies because some environmental groups and experts raised concerns about the threats of crushed dolomite on the environment.
The DENR claimed that the dolomite sand used for the artificial beach was safe. For now, the artificial beach that cost P 389-million was closed for the second phase of rehabilitation which allotted with additional P 265-million budget.
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(Video courtesy of GMA News Online)
Manila Baywalk
Dolomite Beach
Dolomite
environment
DENR
cleanup drive
International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day 2022
cleanup activity
PCG
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