In celebration of the 2022 Philippine Environment Month hundreds of volunteers coming from employees of government, students, institutions, businesses, private sector, environmental groups, local government units, biker/riders groups and families participated in a cleanup drive to protect Boac’s coastline and waterways from the trash.
Volunteers picked up trash along the shorelines of Barangay Laylay, Ihatub, Balaring, Caganhao, Amoingon, Bunganay, and Cawit and were able to collect wastes which consisted of biodegradable, non-biodegradable, and residual wastes. Trash was also collected from nearby surroundings.
The objectives of the Cleanup activity dubbed “Ambagan Para Sa Puso Ng Kalikasan” with the theme: Aksyon Para Sa Natatanging Mundo is to engage people around the Province of Marinduque to remove trash and debris from beaches, waterways, and other water bodies, to identify the sources of the litter, to change behaviors that cause pollution and to raise awareness on the extent of the marine debris problem.
Every year tons of garbage and marine debris wind up in our seas and coastlines, with the majority of that being composed of plastic materials. Plastics are very hazardous to marine life, killing birds, turtles, whales, and an immense number of fish in our ocean. Ocean trash is a serious pollution problem that affects the health of the people, marine wildlife, and local economies. This coastal clean-up activity encourages the coastal stewards to get to our beaches and help limit this problem by cleaning up the garbage that has washed up on shore and left by visitors every day.
“Let’s face it. The problem of garbage is a pressing issue. We won’t stop doing our part as we urge the local government units to take a look at the problem and strictly enforce local ordinances on solid waste management”, APO MANDIN AA President Joven Lilles said who was overwhelmed by the support of local residents, volunteer groups and local government units amidst COVID-19 threat.
“We need to protect our marine waters by improving their water quality. When our oceans become polluted, there would be no life as this would lead to massive destruction. Behavior change starts at home, and under APOs 3 cardinal principles of Leadership, Friendship, and Service, we want to lead the youth and the community on environmental awareness and conservation of our coastal areas, especially since we belong to the VIP- Center of the center of marine biodiversity of the world”. Mr. Lilles added.
APO MSC Petitioning Chapter and APO MANDIN Alumni Association No. 118 together with the Ecological Justice League of Youth Leaders MiMaRoPa Region, Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Marinduque Chapter, National Youth Commission, DENR-PENRO Marinduque, and volunteer groups have so far recorded 100 sacks of garbage weighing an estimated 350 kilograms of plastic waste collected.
This advocacy is in line with the APO Philippines Mimaropa flagship APO-COAST or Cooperation for the Oceans, Seas and Territories and APO-PREN or Protection and Restoration of Environment and Natural Resources.
