A TOTAL of 692 sacks of marine litter, weighing an estimated 4,674.25 kilograms, were collected during the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day in Purok 5 and Sitio Malamboon, both in Brgy. 76-A on Saturday, Sept. 20.
The top five marine litter collected from the two areas were food wrappers (4,026); cigarette butts (3,738); plastic bags (2,584); plastic sachets (2,029); and plastic/foam pieces (1,545).
The ICC has been internationally celebrated for more than 30 years with the goal of not only cleaning up the beaches but also studying the types of trash collected during the cleanup.
Atty. Ma. Mercedes V. Dumagan, DENR XI regional executive director, said the activity was a symbol of collective action for climate resilience.
“With the effects of climate change that have continued to challenge our planet and our lives, it worsens the situation of our ecosystem, making the protection of our seas even more crucial,” Dumagan said.
Alnulfo M. Alvarez, Environmental Management Bureau XI (EMB-XI) regional director, lauded the participants and volunteers in the event.
“This event is more than just a clean-up. It is a demonstration of our shared commitment to public service and to the preservation of our environment and natural resources,” Alvarez said.
The Civil Service Commission (CSC-XI) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-XI) gathered 2,044 volunteers from 54 agencies and organizations within the city.
During last year’s ICC event, volunteers collected 691 sacks of marine litter weighing 7,435 kilograms from four clean-up sites.
Photo courtesy of DENR XI
