by: Ma. Ana Mikaela P. Calixto
Volunteers joined and gathered to pick up trash along the shore of Manila Bay on International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day in Pasay City last September 17. 📷: REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) collected over 4,500 sacks of garbage from the polluted Manila Bay for the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day last September 17.
The theme “Fighting for Trash Free Seas-Pilipinas: Ending the Flow of Trash at the Source,” is one of the eight cleanup activities piloted by DENR in Metro Manila for the ICC every third Saturday of September.
According to DENR-Metropolitan Environmental Office (MEO) West OIC Director Rodelina de Villa, the 3,000 from the 4,500 sacks were given by the DENR Central Office through the Manila Bay Coordinating Office (MBCO), and 1,500 trash bags were distributed by the DENR-National Capital Region.
Also, additional trash bags came from the participation of national and local government agencies, private sectors, and organizations, that includes Manila City government, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, Philippine National Police (PNP), PNP-Maritime Group, and Philippine Coast Guard.
Maynilad Water Services Inc., Manila Water Company Inc., and the Dragon Boat Federation of the Philippines lend their services to join the activity.
“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 stated.
Data from the DENR-MEO-West showed that 147, 939 sacks of solid waste have been collected on the cleanup activities held from July 12 to September 14. Another sacks of water hyacinth 83, 109 and 2, 224 marine debris were added to the number.
Thousands of volunteers
Volunteers joined hands on the cleanup drive on the Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach to mark the celebration of International Coastal Cleanup Day. 📷: Miguel de Guzman and Emie Peñaredondo
Thousands of volunteers showed up and it included government workers and members of Philippine Coast Guard in cleaning waste along the shore of Dolomite Beach.
John Ybañez of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Public Information Office stated that over a thousand sacks of garbage were collected from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. within the day.
The PCG was joined by volunteers managed by different government agencies and Manila residents led by Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan.
Over 150 volunteers collected trash from the Navotas City stretch of the Manila Bay within the shores of Barangays Bagumbayan North, Tangos North, and Tangos South, encouraged by Mayor John Rey Tiangco.
“This initiative will help make our coastal area in Manila Bay better so that our tourists and visitors will see the beauty of the bay,” a college student, Kendrick Lopez, 18, told Reuters during the cleanup drive activity.
Manila Water joins hand in International Coastal Cleanup Day
READ: Manila Water reaffirms commitment to protect water bodies during International Coastal Cleanup Day
Manila Water employees teamed up with volunteers from various public and private organizations in cleaning up Manila Bay as the company acknowledges the importance of coastal clean-up to keep the waterways pollution-free.
📷: BUSINESSMIRROR
Manila Water joined cleanup activities in parts of Metro Manila on the day of the celebration of International Coastal Cleanup Day and observance of National Cleanup Month.
According to Manila Water, volunteers from public and private sectors, Manila Water Foundation (MWF) employees, Wastewater Operations, Advocacy and Research Department Project Management Group, Enterprise Regulatory Affairs Group and 503rd reservists of the company cleared waste and debris alongside the Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach in a nationwide cleanup drive conducted by the DENR on ICC day.
Protection on bodies of water has always been one of the main goals of Manila Water’s environmental advocacy, notably “Toka Toka,” the first and only environmental movement in the country that promotes proper management of wastewater in every household as an important share or in Filipino “toka” in reviving rivers and waterways.
Jennifer de los Santos, head of Manila Water’s Advocacy and Research Department stated: “Today is a call to action for every one of us to take part in keeping our coasts and beaches clean. We remain steadfast in our commitment to help in the rehabilitation of Manila Bay.”
“We continue to pitch our part with the able help of our partners—the DENR, DENR-National Capital Region, Laguna Lake Development Authority, Local Water Utilities Administration and Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System—to whom we extend our sincerest gratitude,” she added.
The company also joined a series of synchronized waterway cleanup drives arranged by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority joint hands with the barangays in Metro Manila.
Critics on Dolomite Beach
The DENR posted a public advisory on its Facebook Page on Saturday to encourage the public to participate in the cleanup.
However, the post gained criticisms on Facebook and other social media platforms.
“You spent millions for the dolomite, then it would be the Filipino people who ended up cleaning,” a netizen commented.
“Cleanup drives like this risk just being photo opportunities for our public officials,” Jon Bonifacio, national coordinator of Kalikasan People’s Network for the environment, said.
Von Hernandez, global coordinator of the group Break Free from Plastic stated: “We can’t be spending millions of resources yearly without effectively addressing the roots of the problem.”
“It’s better investment for the government to just compel producers and companies to reduce and stop the production of single-use plastics and invest in proven, reusable and refilling systems,” he added.
The Dolomite beach project happened in the pandemic year 2020 by the previous administration of President Rodrigo Duterte promoting it as a way to ease the mental health of the Filipinos amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Environment Undersecretary Benny Antiporda, the current head of the National Irrigation Administration, defended the said project saying funds were not enough to improve the bay’s water.
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Keywords:
DENR
Manila Bay
Garbage
Metro Manila
Solid Waste
Dolomite Beach
Cleanup activities
Volunteers
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