By: Betheena Kae Unite
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) urged volunteers to join the clean up drive today to rid coastlines, rivers, and lakes of trash.
Commander Armand Balilo, PCG spokesperson, said that students and workers are encouraged to join the 32nd Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Clean-up 2017.
The clean up drive is a part of the worldwide effort of clearing tons of trash from coastlines, rivers, and lakes and recording every piece of trash collected which aims to heighten environmental awareness and volunteerism.
Last year’s clean up was participated by 504,583 volunteers from 112 countries.
Last year, volunteers were able to pick up 13,840,398 debris items amounting to 8,346,055 kilos of marine debris which covers 24,136 kilometers of beaches, waterways and underwater areas.
According to the Coast Guard, the top 10 items collected were cigarette butts, plastic beverage bottles, plastic bottle caps, food wrappers, plastic grocery bags, plastic lids, straws/stirrer, glass beverage bottles, other plastic bags, and foam take-away containers.
Scheduled for cleanup today are Bay Walk, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City, Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA), Mall of Asia, Navotas Fish Port and Navotas Centennial Park. It starts at around 6 a.m.