Resort owners, volunteers join coastal clean-up on Sept. 15

L AOAG CITY—In time for the celebration of International Coastal Clean-up (ICC) Day, some Ilocos Norte resort owners and other youth volunteers are organizing beach cleanup in various parts of the province on Sept. 15.

Every third Sunday of September, environment advocates are always reminded of Presidential Proclamation No. 470 as ICC Day in support of the Global Coastal Clean-up celebrations.

In Pagudpud town, organizers - composed of concerned resorts owners - are calling on regular and new volunteers to join the celebration.

Hosted by the Baybay ti Norte Kooperatiba, the group makes use of social media as a medium to reach out to more volunteers in the coastal clean up drive and has generated a greater public awareness and following from the local community, and foreign and domestic tourists visiting the crystal clear waters of Pagudpud.

“As we continue our way around the unpopulated coastline of Pagudpud, join us on International Coastal Cleanup Day for a challenging adventure,” organizers posted on Facebook.

According to the organizers, the upcoming activity is now the 13th month of cleaning the Pagudpud shoreline to ensure that it remains pleasing to the eye and to the environment.

Although there are scattered waste bins all over the beach, there are still those who leave their plastic wastes, while the amihan winds also blows and gathers ocean wastes into the unpopulated coastline.

In view of this, concerned residents, in partnership with public and private organizations, are helping out in the regular coastal clean up drive. In a public statement, the group announced that the September 15 beach clean up will gather participants at the Aqua Grande car park then carpool to the Balaoi end of the viaduct and rock hop back along the 1.5 kilometer coastline.

As a treat to volunteers, the organizers will be hosting a swimming party with spot prizes after the event.

The participants are advised to bring a hat, sunscreen, water bottle and gloves for protection. Organizers will provide sacks for the waste materials to be collected.

There will also be an audit of the collected garbage