Baseco cleanup drive highlights need for sustained coastal protection - GMA Network

Various government agencies, civic organizations, and volunteers teamed up on Saturday for the 41st International Coastal Cleanup in Baseco, Manila.

Atty. Jo Riego, site coordinating managing director of the Manila Bay Site Coordinating Management Office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-National Capital Region (DENR-NCR), said Baseco has undergone significant changes but still needs continued efforts to keep the area clean.

“Napakalaki na po ang pinagbago ng Baseco, but still meron pa rin pong mga mangilan-ngilang basura sa area. Pero kada taon po, pinagsisikapan natin po na ipalaganap ang awareness para hindi natin mapadami pa ang basura at eventually maging malinis po ang Baseco Beach,” Riego said.

(Baseco has changed significantly, but there is still some scattered trash in the area. Every year, we continue to work on raising awareness to prevent the amount of waste from increasing and, eventually, make Baseco Beach clean.)

Baseco Beach is currently off-limits to swimming due to high levels of fecal coliform in the water.

“Every year we are striving to do better para po maging bathing beach po ulit ang Baseco area,” Riego said.

(Every year, we strive to do better so that the Baseco area can once again become a bathing beach.)

Student volunteer Princess Rhyanne Akfon said she and her classmates joined the cleanup drive as part of a school project, but she found a deeper purpose in the activity beyond simply picking up trash.

“I think sobrang impactful po ng ginagawa natin kasi hindi lang po tayo nakakalinis sa environment natin, nakakatulong na rin tayo sa outside na lugar, hindi lang po dito,” she said.

(I think what we are doing has a huge impact because we are not only helping clean our environment, but we are also helping other communities beyond our area.)

Beyond cleaning Baseco's coastal area, organizers said the activity also aims to educate the public about proper waste management and the importance of protecting coastal ecosystems.

“Hindi siya simpleng pagkokolekta ng basura kung hindi isang pagbibigay kaalaman sa ating mga kababayan na kailangan natin maglinis para sa ating coastal ecology. Dapat sa mga bahay, nagse-segregate na tayo para hindi na po kumalat yung mga basura sa ating mga coastal areas,” Riego said.

(It’s not simply about collecting trash; it’s also about educating our fellow Filipinos about the importance of keeping our coastal ecology clean. Waste should already be segregated at home so that it does not end up scattered across our coastal areas.) — VBL, GMA News