Volunteers from Alpha Phi Omega Capitol Palawan Alumni Association together with local community groups, and barangay officials spearheaded a coastal cleanup drive along the shoreline of Purok Masikap in Barangay Bancao-Bancao, Puerto Princesa City.
The activity's main objective is to collect plastic wastes and other debris that were washed ashore after the recent heavy rains.
Virgillio P. Montealegre, Jr. said the coastal cleanup will be their priority program here among stakeholders in line with the APO COAST MIMAROPA's flagship program APO PREN (Restoration of the Environment and Natural Resources).
“We push this event even with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic but on condition that the activities be undertaken with strict observance of health and safety protocols,” Alegre said in a statement.
“Despite the pandemic, there is still a need to protect the environment because a healthy environment is proven to be a big factor to the healing process, and we need that now more than ever,” he added.
The Alpha Phi Omega Capitol Palawan Alumni Association, which organized the cleanup, assigned volunteers deployed at onshore cleanup points along Aquaman Beach Resort others were dispersed to river deltas take out trash.
APO MIMAROPA Regional Director Melvin Gabayno said the waste collected by the volunteers were sorted out and recorded to further study the extent of pollution along the coast.
Most of the trash washed ashore were plastic bottles, styrofoam cups and food packets.
Volunteers said they also collected a huge volume of disposable face masks along with rubber slippers.
The coastal cleanup also served as an avenue to further strengthen the APO's 4 Fold Program of Service and to engage the community to promote environmental protection and engage stakeholder support in ecological action.
