By Mariah Angelica F. Tolibas | @mariah_TRL | October 7, 2022
Thousand sacks of garbage trash were collected by the Philippine Coast Guards in Manila Bay as anticipation for International Coastal Cleanup Day on September 17, 2022
Photo from PCG (Philippine Coast Guards)
https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/464592/dolomite-beach-cleanup-yields-more-than-a-thousand-sacks-o
In celebration of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day 2022, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) leads cleanup of Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach, on September 17.
The theme of the said activity was “Fighting for Trash Free Seas-Pilipinas: Ending the flow of trash at the source.” The event was held every third Saturday of September and it is considered as one of eight DENR -led cleanup activities in Metro Manila.
Cleanup activity has 4,000 volunteers and provided 4,500 sacks of garbage.
According to Rodelina de Villa, DENR – Metropolitan Environmental office (MEO) West OIC Director, the garbages that is mostly collected by the volunteers are contained of plastic wastes, marine debris, and dried water hyacinth.
She said that “volunteers from government, private organizations, and private individuals came to the baywalk’s coastline with their own garbage bags as well.”
De Villa said 3,000 of the 4,500 sacks were provided by the DENR Central office 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.
The National and local government agencies who participated in the cleanup activity including the National and local government agencies including Manila City Government, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Philippine Army, Philippine Air force, Philippine National police (PNP), PNP-Maritime Group, and Philippine Coast Guard were the sources of additional trash bags.
Also, the Maynilad water services inc., Manila Water Company Inc., and the Dragon Boat Federation of the Philippines participated in the said event.
According to De Villa, the Manila Baywalk reflects the collaboration among all sectors that is necessary to address coastal litter through targeted beach cleanup activities.
“However big and daunting the task is, we can make a difference by bringing communities
and people together to clean up beaches. Proof of this are organizations and individuals coming
together at the Baywalk Dolomite Beach,” de Villa said.
Based on the data of DENR-MEO-West, whose task is to oversee the maintenance of the 500-meter beach walk, it has shown that 147,939 sacks of solid waste have been collected in the cleanup activities from July 12 to September 14.
During the period, they collected a total of 83,109 sacks of water hyacinth including 2,224 sacks of marine debris.
Related stories:
https://www.denr.gov.ph/index.php/news-events/press-releases/4492-denr-employees-with-disabilities-s
Keywords:
• DENR
• Dolomite beach
• International Coastal Cleanup Day
• 4,000 volunteers
• National and local government
• Manila Baywalk
Comments