PH local governments, Korea lead coastal clean-up during World Ocean Day

Volunteers from government agencies, non-profit organizations, academe, and local communities organized a coastal clean-up in Honday Bay, Puerto Princesa City.

 

Philippines - Simultaneous coastal clean-ups and education drives were organized in several cities and municipalities in the Philippines as a show of solidarity and support to World Ocean Day last June 6-7, 2024. The local governments of Dipolog, Daanbantayan, Puerto Princesa and Tandag  mobilized other government agencies, academes, and non-government organizations to recover plastic wastes from coastal areas in their localities, with support from the Republic of Korea.

 

River cleanups are regularly held in Tandag City by community-based organizations with support from the local government. 

 

“Through the combined efforts of the government, the academe, businesses, non-governmental organizations, and local communities, we can significantly reduce the plastic waste entering our oceans. By raising awareness, promoting sustainable practices, and investing in research and development, we can create a future where our oceans are free from the scourge of plastic pollution,” said Mayor Darel Dexter Uy of Dipolog City. 

 

Signages were installed along the boulevard of Dipolog City to remind the public to dispose of their plastic waste properly in the designated bins. (Photo from Ambibo.ph.)

 

In Dipolog, an information drive in schools and the public market to reduce single-use plastic was launched while in Daanbantayan, trash traps were installed in a major river tributary to prevent plastics from leaking to the open sea. In Puerto Princesa, a school roadshow has also kicked off to educate students on what they can do to help reduce plastic waste. This will be followed by community-based segregation and collection in identified villages for the remainder of the year. Local partners in Tandag City launched community-based campaigns on proper waste segregation and organized clean-up in the major river tributary. 
These activities were launched under the Marine Environment Protector (MEP) program, one of the components of Republic of Korea’s regional project “Reducing Marine Plastics in the East Asian Seas Region” being implemented in the Philippines and Timor-Leste.
 

 

Community volunteers in Daanbantayan participated in the coastal cleanup organized during the World Ocean Day. 

 

The MEP program partners with non-government organizations to enhance the awareness of coastal communities on plastic waste management at the grassroots and to introduce solutions on how they can manage their plastic waste properly. Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) has partnered with local institutions and organizations including Andres Bonifacio College in Dipolog, BARBA in Daanbantayan, Project Zacchaeus in Puerto Princesa and MARITES in Tandag to implement MEP initiatives.

 

 

“There is no magic bullet to solve the plastic crisis. It needs a holistic approach and everyone’s cooperation,” said Ms. Aimee T. Gonzales, Executive Director of PEMSEA Resource Facility.

 

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About PEMSEA
Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) is a regional coordinating mechanism for the sustainable development of seas and coast in East Asia. PEMSEA works with 11 countries in the region with a shared vision of a healthy ocean, people, and economies.

 

To know more about PEMSEA and the project: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and website.