Around 120 volunteers took part in a coastal cleanup at BM Beach in Barangay San Pedro on Saturday, June 8, as part of Puerto Princesa City’s celebration of World Oceans Day 2025.
The activity was spearheaded by the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (City ENRO) in partnership with the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) Project of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea and Project Zacchaeus Marketing Cooperative’s Eco-Kolek Project.
Participants included students and faculty from Palawan State University’s University Research Office and Environmental Science Student Association (ESSA), members of the Puerto Princesa School of Arts and Trades (PPSAT), representatives from World Wildlife Fund (WWF), uniformed personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard–Palawan District and Puerto Princesa City Police, as well as staff from the City Information Department and City ENRO. In a statement, the City ENRO emphasized the importance of the cleanup.
“This calls for diving into the depths of one of our current borderless issues: marine litter and microplastic pollution,” the city government’s environment office stated.
A total of 52 sacks of waste, weighing 145.8 kilograms, were collected. Most of the trash consisted of PET bottles, plastic sachets, fishing gear, plastic film fragments, and single-use items like disposable spoons and forks. Cigarette butts and glass bottles were also recovered.
City ENRO also reminded beachgoers to be responsible when visiting coastal areas.
“Practice proper waste management and disposal—leaving only footprints, and taking only memories on our visit,” it added.
This year’s World Oceans Day theme is “Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us,” which urges communities to work together to keep marine environments clean and healthy.
