International Coastal Cleanup is the largest volunteer effort for ocean’s health. People around the world gather on beaches, coasts, rivers, waterways and underwater dive sites to remove trash and record information on the debris collected.
Presidential Proclamation No. 470 series of 2003 declares the third Saturday of September of each year as the International Coastal Clean-up (ICC) Day in observance of the Global Coast Clean-up Celebrations.
Whereas, the Philippines officially joined the ICC in 1994 with the International Maritime Alliance (IMA) as the country coordinator and more than 3,000 volunteer cleaned the shorelines and underwater sites and since 1998, the Philippines has consistently topped the ICC, in terms of volunteer turnout, and has been recognized as “the clean-up capital of the world”.
The Philippines joined once again in the annual global celebration of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC). For the 34th year of International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) 2019 with the theme “Battle for Trash-Free Manila Bay” hosted by the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources and Department of Public Services (DPS) Manila held on September 21, 2019 at Baseco Port Area, Tondo, Manila.
Thousands of volunteers coming from employees of government, students, institutions, business, private sector, environmental groups, local government unit and families participated in a massive cleanup drive to protect Manila’s coastline and waterways from trash.
The Manila Department of Public Services has so far recorded 3,743 sacks of garbage weighing 187,150 kilograms collected from the Baseco Area. The cleanup also covered other areas including Navotas Centennial Park, Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA), By the Bay Central Park in SM Mall of Asia, Gloria Maris at CCP Complex and PUP Sta. Mesa.
The objectives of the International Coastal Cleanup is to engage people around the world to remove trash and debris from beaches, waterways and other water bodies, to identify the sources of the litter, to change behaviors that causes pollution and to raise awareness on the extent of the marine debris problem.
In line with the Philippine Plastics Industry Association, Inc. (PPIA) advocacy, we actively participate in the annual ICC program. By contributing PP woven sack (Sako) to partnered national agency (DENR) and to partnered Local Government Units (LGUs). 2,000 volunteers were organized hand in hand by PPIA and PARMS to help cleaning the said locations. Allied industry Polystyrene Packaging Council of the Philippines (PPCP) and Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila (RCAM) conducted a sea eco brick making at Baseco Site. These sea eco brick is another type of brick using residual waste. Those residual waste gathered from the beach line are putted in a 1.5L bottle.
