The Department of Public of Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6 and Negros Island Region (NIR) have joined the annual global celebration of International Coastal Cleanup Day on September 16, 2017.
To promote better ocean health and environmental consciousness, about 425 DPWH employees - 83 employees from the Regional Office, 31 from the Iloilo 1st DEO, 25 from Iloilo City DEO, 69 from Iloilo 2nd DEO, 95 from Negros 1st DEO, and 122 from Negros 3rd DEO, helped remove trash and debris from beaches and waterways.
DPWH Regional Office as well as Iloilo 1st and Iloilo City DEO were designated to clean the trash from the coastal area of Arevalo District specifically the Villa Beach Area (Tatoy’s Manokan Seafoods to Breakthrough Restaurant) while Iloilo 2nd DEO cleaned up the Leganes-Dumangas Coastal area.
With this year’s ICC theme “Together for Our Ocean”, DPWH also partnered with other government agencies namely the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Department of Tourism (DOT).
Garbage including plastic materials and pollution pose detrimental effects to the ocean wildlife and ecosystems.
According to Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA) Region 6, the clean-up day has collected 900 kilograms of garbage which were brought to Calajunan dumpsite in Mandurriao district.
Government agencies, members of the academe and other civic groups were called to cooperate and commit to the mission to rescue rivers, waterways and preserve them for the next generations.