By: John Rhey Piamonte - @TheCapitol_News The Capitol | October 07, 2022
Volunteers collected thousands of sea waste during the coastal clean-up drive at the Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach in Manila on Sept. 17, 2022. (Photo courtesy of DENR)
MANILA – Thousands of volunteers teamed up in the Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach’s clean-up drive initiated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) last September 17, in line with this year’s celebration of International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day.
Around 4,500 sacks of garbage were collected by over 4,000 volunteers, consisting of various environmental partners, government agencies, local government units (LGUs), non-governmental organizations, and private individuals who all came to the Baywalk's polluted coastline with their own garbage bags.
“We can make a difference by bringing communities and people together to clean up beaches. Proofs of this are the organizations and individuals coming together at the Baywalk Dolomite Beach,” DENR-Metropolitan Environmental Office (MEO) West OIC Director Rodelina de Villa said.
Aiming to promote the protection and rehabilitation of coastal areas within Metro Manila, the activity is one of the eight DENR-based projects that are anchored on this year’s theme “Fighting for Trash Free Seas Pilipinas: Ending the Flow of Trash at the Source”
In accordance with that, the project resulted in thousands of non-biodegradable trash collected along the coastline, which the gathered garbage consisted mostly of plastic wastes, dried water hyacinth, and marine debris.
According to De Villa, the DENR Central Office provided 3,000 out of 4,500 sacks through the Manila Bay Coordinating Office (MBCO) while 1,500 trash bags were given by the DENR- National Capital Region, which involves the DENR- MEO West.
It was then followed suit by other participating national and local government agencies and private organizations that also funded additional trash bags for the event. The list includes the Manila City government, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Philippine Army, Philippine Airforce, Philippine National Police (PNP), the PNP-Maritime Group, and the Philippine Coast Guard.
“The International Coastal Clean-up Drive is vital as it promotes and unites countries and people with one common objective which is to take care of our environment by maintaining the cleanliness of our shorelines, rivers, lakes, and other waterways,” Commander of the PCG’s Marine Environmental Protection Command, Rear Admiral Robert Patrimonio uttered.
The coast guardians bannered their trademark color orange and black uniform in spearheading the mass cleanup drive picking up pieces of trash such as sachets, rubber slippers, and other non-biodegradable waste that were washed ashore on the artificial white sand. 310 coast personnel and representatives from PCG Auxiliary participated in the initiative.
PCG racked up thousands sacks of non-biodegradable waste materials as it took part in this year's ICC Day coastal clean-up at the Manila Dolomite Beach (Photo courtesy of PCG)
Maynilad Water Services Inc., Manila Water Company Inc., and the Dragon Boat Federation of the Philippines also took part in the event.
MWC provided water stations and also distributed bottles of alcohol to the volunteers.
This has been one of the key initiatives of Manila Water’s environmental advocacy, namely “Toka Toka,” the first and only environmental movement in the country that aims to encourage proper management of wastewater in every household as an important share in the revitalization of rivers and waterways.
The International Coastal Cleanup Day is held every third Saturday of September of each year under the Presidential Proclamation No. 470 issued in 2003.
KEYWORDS:
Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach’s clean-up drive
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day.
4,500 sacks of garbage
4,000 volunteers
Baywalk's polluted coastline
rehabilitation of coastal area
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