A Message of Gratitude for a Meaningful Sea Change
Dear Volunteers, Sponsors, Coordinators and Friends
Last September 19, 2009, Saturday, the 24th International Coastal Cleanup marked another milestone in the continuing responsibility for our oceans. People from all walks of life responded to the call for a Sea Change – a chance to give back to the oceans.
Volunteers gave their precious time to do their share in caring for our fragile marine environment. The sight of our volunteers was, indeed, an important manifestation of the continuing Sea Change. More importantly, it was a beautiful sunny day and our volunteers made it more meaningful by collecting and recording the important information on what’s littering our oceans.
No matter how busy we were, we responded for three main reasons: it is doing the right thing and leaving our world better than we found it; trash in the ocean is one of the most widespread pollution problems we face - yet, it's also entirely preventable; litter and trash isn't just ugly — it impacts local economies, seafood industries, and recreation, and reduces our access to beaches.
In behalf of the Ocean Conservancy and ICC Philippines, we would like to extend a simple expression of gratitude to our volunteers – thank you so much for joining the cleanup. To our “Sea Stars” – coordinators, organizers, sponsors and our government leaders: thank you for sustaining the light of hope - we all made a difference turning the tide of a rising marine debris.
We know that this action may only be a “drop in a bucket” in the marine debris crises but it gives a meaningful manifestation that we really do care for our oceans, rivers, lakes – our lifeline to our survival in our one and only planet.
We can solve the problem of ocean trash and prevent its most serious impacts. No pair of hands can do it alone, together we can do it!
Sincerely,
GERONIMO P. REYES/ROMEO B. TRONO
ICC Philippines Coordinators
Last September 19, 2009, Saturday, the 24th International Coastal Cleanup marked another milestone in the continuing responsibility for our oceans. People from all walks of life responded to the call for a Sea Change – a chance to give back to the oceans.Volunteers gave their precious time to do their share in caring for our fragile marine environment. The sight of our volunteers was, indeed, an important manifestation of the continuing Sea Change. More importantly, it was a beautiful sunny day and our volunteers made it more meaningful by collecting and recording the important information on what’s littering our oceans.
No matter how busy we were, we responded for three main reasons: it is doing the right thing and leaving our world better than we found it; trash in the ocean is one of the most widespread pollution problems we face - yet, it's also entirely preventable; litter and trash isn't just ugly — it impacts local economies, seafood industries, and recreation, and reduces our access to beaches.
In behalf of the Ocean Conservancy and ICC Philippines, we would like to extend a simple expression of gratitude to our volunteers – thank you so much for joining the cleanup. To our “Sea Stars” – coordinators, organizers, sponsors and our government leaders: thank you for sustaining the light of hope - we all made a difference turning the tide of a rising marine debris.
We know that this action may only be a “drop in a bucket” in the marine debris crises but it gives a meaningful manifestation that we really do care for our oceans, rivers, lakes – our lifeline to our survival in our one and only planet.
We can solve the problem of ocean trash and prevent its most serious impacts. No pair of hands can do it alone, together we can do it!
Sincerely,
GERONIMO P. REYES/ROMEO B. TRONO
ICC Philippines Coordinators
To the ICC Philippines Coordinators,
ReplyDeleteWe thank you for putting this event together. We, from Pandacan Depots Services, Inc. (PDSI), indeed enjoyed doing our own little share in cleaning our coastal resources. It is quite a valuable experience for us joining other organizations and people and seeing their dedications in participating to this noble event. Hopefully, we are able to increase awareness of more people to slim down their wastes so as not to affect our waterways and bodies of water. Hope see you in the next Coastal Cleanup.
Regards,
Nimfa Villamayor
OSY COLLECTED 10 SACKS OF DEBRIS IN SNAKE ISLAND, PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, PALAWAN, PHILS.
ReplyDeleteTo prove that the “Youth is the Hope of our Native Land and our Environment” the Palawan Conservation Corps (PCC) conducted Basic Ecology, Mangrove Training and actual Coastal Clean-up in Snake Island on September 17-18, 2009 to their out of school, youths (OSY’s).
24 OSY are enrolled in the 6 months residential program of PCC they were trained in this activity and these OSY came from different remote communities in Puerto Princesa, it also participated by the OSY alumni from different batches who shared their skills on what they learned from PCC when it come to environmental conservation.
The said program is in commemoration with the 14th International Coastal Clean-up Celebration in the Philippines conducted every third Saturday of September. PCC facilitate the importance partner of the marine environment such as the mangrove, coastline, sea grass and coral reefs which discussed by Edong Magpayo.
They also facilitate the issues and challenges that sometimes affect the marine ecosystems like different waste, particularly plastic that it happened to kill the life of marine animals because they thought that those are their foods like dolphin, sea turtle and others.
Mr. Vincent Oliveros PCC Forester talked about the importance of mangroves and assisted by two OSY Alumni that facilitate different species of mangroves, and its role to balance the marine environment like Snake Island. The teams organize this training within the mangrove area for them to easily understand and familiarized different species of mangrove that could be found in the said island of Honda Bay.
After a day of lecture, the participants break into five groups and where assigned to different areas of the island for the actual clean-up. The groups collected ten sacks of debris in Snake Island, they gathered those waste from the coast, underwater and outside and insides the mangrove habitat and most of the trash gathered is made of plastic.
PCC team brought these debris in the Pier of Santa Lourdes and place it on the trash bin, however the plastic bottles was separated by the children’s who waited for this and sell it for recycling and re-usable purposes. Other garbage is from junk foods, wrapper of candies, styrofoam, fish net, bottle glass, plastic glass/bags, cigarette butt, tarpaulin, sleepers, clothes, diapers, plastic rope, and liquor in can.
According to Ms. Carmen Paclibar and Ms. Tess Rupano of HOBBAI a People’s Organization (PO) who manages the island they are very happy that PCC has chosen this island as part of their clean-up activity and that is a big help for them. It help us to clean the area of mangrove, which is according to them the garbage being trapped in the roots of mangroves are brought by the waves and coming from the nearby communities of Honda Bay. And they also told the PCC that they’re doing their best to re-orient local, national and foreign tourist to become more responsible to their trash and bring these in the port of Santa Lourdes and put it in the garbage bin.
The said activity was a big success with the help of the City Government of Puerto Princesa headed by Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn who funded the 6 months residential program for OSY of the City and with the support from Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS) who sponsored the Coastal Clean-up, Basic Ecology and Mangrove Training of PCC and DENR/PENRO for allowing PCC to stay in their station.
Thanks to our mentor for ICC activity Mr. Gerry Reyes and Mr. Romy Trono we salute you Sir! Congrats...
Edong Magpayo
Executive Director
Palawan Conservation Corps
300 Manalo Extension
Puerto Princesa City
Palawan