OPG-ENRU SPEARHEADS INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEAN-UP CELEBRATION 2020
By: Grace Libong, GPC-ENRU | Photo By: GPC-ENRU | Date: September 19, 2020
Amidst the worldwide CoViD-19 Pandemic, the Office of the Provincial Governor- Environment and Natural Resources Unit (OPG-ENRU) conducted underwater clean up activity in celebration of the International Coastal Clean-up (ICC) 2020 on September 19, 2020 along the coastline of Paraoir and Almeida, Balaoan, La Union.
ICC is the largest volunteer effort for ocean's health. It is being celebrated worldwide every third Saturday of September by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 470, S. 2003.
The activity was done in partnership with the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAg)-Fishery Division, Municipal and Barangay Local Government Units of Paraoir and Almeida, Balaoan, La Union including Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (MFARMC) and fishermen.
There were 40 participants in the activity. To ensure health and safety protocols, the activity was done in three groups to observe physical distancing. The first group performed underwater clean up in the area of Immuki Island, the second group performed waste picking along shoreline of Barangay Paraoir while the last group also collected waste in the shoreline of Almeida.
At the end of the activity, the first group (ENRU Staff) were able to collect 5.5 kilograms of residual waste which include CD, garments, plastic, broken bottle and rubber. On the other hand, group 2 and group 3 collected 11 kilograms of residual waste, mostly garments and recyclable waste, 7 pcs of plastic bottles.
Given the little amount of waste collected along the 300 meters shoreline of Barangay Paraoir and Almeida, it is observed that the area was well-maintained. The waste was then handed to barangay officials for proper disposal.
