Butong, Taal Batangas – The International Coastal Clean-up is one of the largest volunteer efforts in the world that aims to raise awareness for the health of our oceans and bodies of water. The Philippines started participating in the ICC around 1994 and since then, participation and multi-stakeholder involvement has grown by leaps and bounds. Presidential Proclamation 470 issued in 2003 sets ICC in the Philippines every 3rd Saturday of September.

In celebration of this year's International Clean-up Day, a coastal clean-up and SCUBAsurero were conducted along the 3-kilometer stretch shoreline of Brgy. Butong, Taal Batangas last September 16, 2023. The said event was participated in by CENRO Calaca employees, staff from Local Government Units of Taal, Barangay Butong, teachers and students from Our Lady of Caysasay Academy (OLCA), employees from Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resource Office (PGENRO) Batangas and personnel of Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Taal.

The participants were grouped into two (2) to five (5) members wherein each team had collected and segregated wastes according to their form. The collected wastes were recorded through the use of the Clean Swell application and Ocean Trash Data Forms.

In addition, a total of 195 sacks weighing approximately 910 kilograms were collected. Plastics, cigarette butts, diapers, food wrappers beverage bottles/cans, clothing and footwear were most of the trash collected. The disposition of the collected wastes was done by MENRO Taal. The biodegradable wastes were for composting, while recyclables were brought to junkshops and residual wastes were brought to designated sanitary landfills.###

Details
Parent Category: News & Events
Category: Press Releases
Published: 03 October 2023