“Be part of the solution, not part of the pollution.” – The Fresh Quotes
Approximately 40 employees of MORE Power and 60 members of the Guardians of the Environment joined volunteers from the University of the Philippines in the Visayas (UPV) and John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University (JBLFMU) for the annual International Coastal Clean-up Day.
At the famed Villa Beach, everyone did his or her share by picking up the trash to form a part of a massive data collection and for the clean-up drive. The yearly surge of coastal trash is brought by the monsoon or just pure household trash from nearby residents.
“Nagapaninlo kita subong para ma maintain naton ang cleanliness sang dagat, para makita naton ang basura para indi maka apekto sa mga isda naton nga nagakabuhi,” says Dave Demegillo, student-volunteer from John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University. And Christine of UPV Pahinungod couldn’t agree more, “Fulfilling nga nakabulig kami sa gamay nga bagay, naka interact sa iban nga volunteers. Grabe ang effort.”
“Paagi sa amon collective efforts makahimo kita sang impact sa amun kapaligiran, kag para maka encourage man sa iban sa amo ni nga event sa sini nga coastal clean-up,” enthused Fermin Leonor III of UPV Pahinungod.
According to advocate and local coordinator of International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Ian Varona, each year, they gather tons of garbage from the long stretch of Villa Beach. “We’ve been doing this event for the past 5 years,” he says. “When we came here our beach was in a very bad stage. We are lucky that every year naga grow ang involvement sang community.”
After a half-day’s activity, a total of 6,900 kilograms of waste and trash were collected. This could have been avoided if only the residents were taking their part by not dumping their waste on the beach and into the sea. “This is also true for every person who did not think that one irresponsible garbage disposal could lead to throngs of garbage being brought back from the sea by huge waves during monsoon season and typhoons,” said a member of the Guardians of the Environment.
For its part, MORE Power provided 100 gloves and sacks to be used during the clean-up and 650 food packs for the volunteers.
“May ara kami gin allocate nga 100 volunteers, isa-isa sila nagbulig sap ag pudyot sang basura. Para ini sa conservatory nga data” says Glimmer Hope Deslate, Marketing Officer, MORE Power. “While nagapudyot naga collect kami sang data para mabal-an kung paano pa gid makabulig sa pagtinlo sang waterways in the future.”
In partnership with MORE Power and other academic and non-government organizations, the City Environment and Natural Resources Office led the initiative.