LAOAG CITY – More than 4,000 volunteers from 300 public and private organizations came together in a massive show of environmental solidarity during the 41st International Coastal Cleanup Day in Gabu Sur, Laoag City on Saturday.
The large turnout transformed the city’s coastline into a sea of volunteers, united by a shared commitment to protect the marine environment and keep coastal communities clean.
Before the 2026 International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), various local government units, including SM Cares Foundation, schools, civic organizations, and community groups have encouraged households to address waste by segregating it at the source.
“The annual cleanup should not focus only on the effort to collect as much trash as possible, but more on caring for the environment, particularly on inculcating discipline among us to observe proper waste management and help reduce plastic pollution,” Joegie Jimenez, senior environment program officer of the Ilocos Norte Environment and Natural Resources Office, said in his message.
For environmentalists, celebrating ICC every third Saturday of September reminds the public that protecting the ocean begins not in the sea but on land – in how communities manage waste, use plastics, and protect waterways.
An estimated 2,581 kg. of waste was collected during the cleanup. Most were classified as residuals and non-biodegradables, including PET and glass bottles.
Laoag City environment and natural resources officer Mylene Isabel Pascual reiterated to the participants the importance of properly segregating the collected waste materials.
Pascual said the activity, by far the biggest coastal cleanup coalition in this city, keeps the spirit of “bayanihan” alive and shows “a powerful example of what can be achieved when different sectors work toward one goal.”
Meanwhile, SM City Laoag manager Maria Cristina Sebastian said they are happy to be included in the International Coastal Cleanup.
“The number of participants is overwhelming as compared (to) last June during the National Coastal Cleanup, where we had more than 1,000 participants. We just hope that they will continue to support this endeavor as this is now our 11th year of doing this and, of course, there’s more to come for SM City Laoag and the whole of the province,” she said.
The annual ICC here aims to raise awareness of the growing marine litter and the consequences of improper waste disposal.
Waste discarded on streets and waterways can eventually reach the ocean, where plastics and other debris can harm marine life, damage ecosystems, and affect coastal livelihoods.
The cleanup gives volunteers a firsthand look at the problem and lets them be part of the solution. (PNA)
