About 3.4 tons of garbage were collected by 160 participants in a “plogging” activity spearheaded by Nickel Asia Corp (NAC) on June 5 in Brgy. Rio Tuba, Bataraza in celebration of the World Environment Day (WED).
Jaja Tupas, mine environmental protection and enhancement officer (MEPEO), said the simultaneous plogging activity was conducted by the subsidiary companies of NAC nationwide to “raise awareness on the protection and conservation of the environment.”
“We started this last year with other Nickel Asia Corporation subsidiaries. All companies ni NAC from Cagdianao, Dinapigue, Hinatuan at saka Taganito, including Rio Tuba, ay nag-conduct ng plogging for the celebration of World Environment Day. We started it last year pero last year we had ‘yong biking, padyak for kalikasan,” she said.
“Plogging”, said Tupas, is jogging while picking up trash along the way.
The theme of this year’s event is “Healthy ka na, Nakatulong ka pa,” which means sweating it out while picking up trash is beneficial for the immune system and the skin.
World Environment Day is the United Nation’s flagship campaign of encouraging awareness and action for the protection of the environment. Primarily, it hopes to step up world “awareness on emerging environmental issues from marine pollution, human overpopulation, and global warming, to sustainable consumption and wildlife crime.”
Tupas said they needed 340 sacks to dispose of the trash they collected properly.
After the plogging event, participants planted 470 seedlings of forest trees in one of Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation’s (RTNMC) rehabilitation areas.
“We want to be more related doon sa theme ng World Environment Day which is ‘Beat Air Pollution’ to help prevent ‘yong air pollution kasi ‘yong mga trees alam naman natin na they could absorb more carbon emissions, at the same time, to purify ‘yong ating air,” she pointed out.
She said they plan to make the activity a yearly event and have it in other areas.
“We are planning to do it yearly or kung may chance kami sa bigger event not just here in Rio Tuba, even outside Rio Tuba, Bataraza or other municipalities even sa Puerto Princesa City basta may chance kami, we would like na madala ito doon. The pressing problem natin ngayon is more on trash, basura, kaya we are doing this plogging event,” she said.
The activity was participated in by RTNMC, Coral Bay Nickel Corporation (CBNC) and its contractors, as well as representatives from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Special CAFGU Active Auxiliary (SCAA), Philippine Marine Corps, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Haribon-Palawan, Local Government Units (LGUs) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
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