Dolomite beach cleanup drive - around 4,000 volunteers joined, says DENR

By: Aliza Arcilla - @TheCapitol_News October 7, 2022

Volunteers from private organizations and government agencies join together to clean the Manila Baywalk. (Photo by George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News)

In observance of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day 2022, 4,000 volunteers joined the coastal clean-up in Manila Bay Dolomite Beach last September 17, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reported.

The ICC aims to clean coastal areas and promotes awareness in protecting the ocean and other waterways from pollution.

With a theme “Fighting for Trash Free Seas-Pilipinas: Ending the Flow of Trash at the Source,” the DENR led the event that gathers volunteers from different private and government organizations including The Philippine Army, PNP-Maritime Group, and Philippine Coast Guard. Volunteers collected an estimated 4,500 sacks of garbage in the million-peso funded dolomite beach.

Volunteers equipped with gloves and sacks, pick up trash from the dolomite beach. (Photo by Walter Bollozos, The STAR)

“We can make a difference by bringing communities and people together to clean up beaches,” said DENR-Metropolitan Environmental Office (MEO) West OIC Director Rodelina de Villa.

According to DENR-MEO-West, the clean up activities helped in removing 147,939 sacks of solid waste from July 12 to September 14.

Long term solution

Piles of plastic wastes, dried water hyacinth, and marine debris lie on the shore of Manila Bay. (Photo by Walter Bollozos, The STAR)

The Manila Bay is prone to littering as it is one of the popular spots in the city. Although cleaning the shores regularly is necessary, critics urge the government to put effort on long term solutions.

"We can’t be spending millions of resources yearly without effectively addressing the roots of the problem,” said Von Hernandez, Break Free From Plastic global coordinator.

It's a better investment for the government to compel producers and companies to reduce and stop the production of single-use plastics and invest in proven reusable and refill systems, Hernandez suggested.

Moreover, Antoinette Taus, founder of Communities Organized for Resource Allocation (CORA) stated that "Pag sinabing pagbabago sa plastic pollution, nanggagaling talaga yung pagbabago sa governments, companies, and brands, siyempre, sa ating lahat din, pero hindi natin kayang gawin ‘yun kung hindi rin sila magli-lead ng way natin."

Manila Bay is one of the most polluted beaches in the Philippines. Last 2020, the Duterte administration approved the P 389 million peso rehabilitation project, filling the beach with artificial white sand.

MORE: Philippines: Artificial white sandy beach could spell eco disaster

Keywords:

- dolomite beach

- International Coastal Cleanup Day 2022

- ICC

- Manila Bay

- Department of Environment and Natural Resources

- DENR

- pollution

- coastal clean-up

- protecting the ocean