ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foudation’s Bantay Kalikasan, together with Bayan Mo iPatrol Mo (BMPM) of ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs and valuable partners, joined the 32^nd International Coastal Clean-up day by conducting simultaneous volunteer coastal or river clean-up activities to 11 sites.

With over 5,767  volunteers, approximately 79,438 kilos of waste were collected in the 11 clean-up sites which include Metro Manila, Romblon, Zambales, Guimaras, Batangas, Palawan, Sarangani, Sorsogon, and Tacloban – two sites each for Sorsogon and Tacloban.

Jen Santos, Program Director of Bantay Kalikasan, explained that these activities are under Bantay Kalikasan’s advocacy of making every Filipino, an Earth warrior. “Madalas tayong nagco-coastal clean-up, pero para sa araw na ito, sabay-sabay natin siyang ginawa para magkaroon din tayo ng sense of solidarity with the world as we celebrate the International Coastal Clean-up Day.” (We always do coastal clean-up activities but today, we are doing it simultaneously so we can have the sense of solidarity with the world as we celebrate the International Coastal Clean-up Day.)

Left: Bantay Kalikasan staff and volunteer gets a screen of a television in San Juan River Right: BK staff and volunteers scoop trash floating in San Juan River.

MJ Manabat from Accenture Philippines, a participant from the clean-up in Metro Manila shared, “Mostly po, nakuha po namin ay mga bote po, saka mga plastic na like lalagyan ng mga pulbo, diaper, napkins, mga styro (styrofoam).” (Most of the things we got were bottles, plastic containers, diapers, napkins, and stryofoam.)

Graziella Ramos, a participant from Lobo shared, “Ginagawa po ito upang ma-lessen ang basura sa ating kalikasan at upang maturuan din ang mga volunteer kung paano ba ang tamang pagtapon ng basura at kung ano ba ang dapat gawin sa mga ito.” (We are doing this to lessen the rubbish and to teach the volunteers how to properly dispose our trash.)

The collected PET bottles from the clean-up will be donated to Bayan Mo iPatrol Mo which they will sell to buy mobilized wheelchairs for Tahanang Walang Hagdan. This is part of BMPM’s 10^th anniversary.

By working together, Bantay Kalikasan believes that everyone can create a bigger impact to the community and to the environment.