September 21, 2024, Day-as, Cordova, Cebu – The CCEF, in partnership with Manulife Business Processing Services, the Municipality of Cordova, and Barangay Day-as, successfully conducted a coastal cleanup in celebration of the International Coastal Cleanup Day.
The program began with a welcome address from Mr. Victor Nepomuceno, the AVP Head of Admin and Cebu Site Lead at Manulife. He expressed his appreciation for the employee volunteers and highlighted the significance of coastal cleanup drives.
Day-as Barangay Captain Hon. Wilfredo J. Tirol, also shared a message, thanking Manulife Business Process Services and CCEF for their initiative in organizing the cleanup drive in the barangay.
In addition, Hon. Lemme W. Pogoy, a member of the Sangguniang Bayan Committee on Environment, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Manulife Business Process Services, CCEF, and all the volunteers for their efforts in conducting the coastal cleanup.
Before heading to the cleanup area, the CCEF provided a brief orientation for all volunteers. This included an overview of safety protocols, dos and don’ts, guidelines for properly segregating waste into designated categories, emergency procedures, and the locations of various stations, such as the first-aid station, waste drop-off point, and weighing area.
Over 200 volunteers participated in the event, including employees from Manulife, CCEF, representatives from the Municipality of Cordova, Barangay Day-as, and students from the University of San Carlos–Talamban Biology Integrated Organization. Together, they aimed to contribute to the Global Ocean Trash Database using the Clean Swell app to help raise public awareness about the persistent problem of marine pollution.
The Manulife employee volunteers were organized into 10 groups, with each group consisting of 10 members. A CCEF employee volunteer was assigned to supervise and facilitate each team, as well as assist with data recording using data cards. In addition, each team had one student volunteer designated as the data recorder, utilizing the Clean Swell app. A member from a fisherfolk organization was also assigned to facilitate each team.
To ensure the safety and security of the participants, additional volunteers in the area include security personnel from Manulife, 10 Barangay Public Safety Officers, 5 Barangay Health Workers, and 5 Red Cross Youth, all equipped with the necessary supplies. Also on standby were the Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Response Vehicle and Emergency Vehicle (ambulance) from the Cordova DRRMO.
Below is the total weight of the trash collected by each team.
| ManulifexCCEF1 | 32.7802 kg |
| ManulifexCCEF2 | 289.9861 kg |
| ManulifexCCEF3 | 42.9189 kg |
| ManulifexCCEF4 | 110.2524 kg |
| ManulifexCCEF5 | 87.4073 kg |
| ManulifexCCEF6 | 18.2798 kg |
| ManulifexCCEF7 | 23.0697 kg |
| ManulifexCCEF8 | 70.7749 kg |
| ManulifexCCEF9 | 20.8866 kg |
| ManulifexCCEF10 | 133.4809 kg |
Approximately 829.8368 kg of trash was collected from a 1,247.78 m² area of mangroves along the coastal zone of Barangay Day-as. More than 90% of the trash items collected belonged to the Plastics and Foam Category, with the majority comprising plastic food wrappers and bags.
This statistic is concerning. It underscores the serious issue of plastic pollution in coastal and marine ecosystems and even strengthens our commitment to tackle this challenge proactively.
The success of this event would not have been possible without the dedication and support of all the volunteers. We extend our sincere gratitude to all participants and look forward to seeing everyone again for future coastal and marine conservation efforts!
