Press Release Summary: The Clean up, organized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), was part of several clean up activities held nationwide.
Press Release Body: More than 2,000 volunteers joined in cleaning up Manila Bay as part of the 2008 International Coastal Clean up Day celebration held on 20 September. The volunteers from government agencies, various colleges and universities, nongovernmental organizations, private corporations, religious groups and local residents gathered along the stretch of the Coastal Road in San Dionisio in Paraaque City, with the common aim of ridding the Bay of its large volume of garbage.
The Clean up, organized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), was part of several clean up activities held nationwide. The Manila Bay Environmental Management Project (MBEMP) and PEMSEA likewise showed their solidarity and commitment to coastal preservation.
The site for the Manila Bay area clean up was originally planned for reclamation as a part of a development project in Manila Bay. However, in April 2007, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared the site as a critical habitat and ecotourism area, which eventually prevented further land reclamation in the Manila Bay area. The place is home to 40 species of birds, including migratory birds, and 9 species of mangroves including the Nilad, which used to be abundant in the area and on which Manila derived its name (May nilad - to have Nilad).
The DENR organizes an annual clean up campaign as part of the implementation of the Manila Bay Coastal Strategy. Through this annual public awareness campaign, various stakeholders especially students can experience activities relating to marine conservation as well as waste recycling and reuse.
The EAS Congress website welcomes stories and photos on clean up activities made in the East Asian Region. Visit www.pemsea.org/congress.
Web Site: http://pemsea.org/eascongress
Contact Details: Partnerships in Enviromental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) Magnolia Uy E-mail: mmuy@pemsea.org Telephone: +63 (2) 929-2992
2022
