With an estimated 48,000 volunteers for the 25th International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) on Saturday, Batangas Bay got clean coasts again, and lots of volunteer cleaners with souvenir photos of Second District Board Member actor Christopher de Leon, wife and actress Sandy Andolong, and their moviestar friends who helped with the cleanup on September 25.
Star couple Cesar Montano and Sunshine Cruz helped De Leon and the contestants of The Amazing Race Asia Season 4 in the cleanup of the coastal area Chevron Batangas Terminal in Brgy. San Antonio in San Pascual town. They only had to pause for occasional requests by fans who wanted to have their photos taken with them. De Leon, Mark Nelson and TARA 4 contestants Lani Pillinger, Richard Hardin, and Richard Herera were already at the Chevron coastal area as early as 7 a.m.
The International Coastal Cleanup event is a worldwide activity which started 25 years ago and spearheaded by the Ocean Conservancy to address the alarming garbage and debris problem in oceans, threatening the lives of various marine creatures, bringing ecological imbalance and affecting weather patterns. “Chevron has always been a participant of the coastal cleanup for the past seven years with four of those years in Batangas Terminal. This is part of our commitment to protect the people and the environment, and a show of our strong spirit of volunteerism. .said Mark Quebral, Manager for Policy, Government and Public Affairs of Chevron.
“We encourage our employees to bring their families to this activity because it’s a great way to spend time and learn more about the environment while being involved in a meaningful volunteer effort. It’s also heartening to see that participants are increasing annually,” shared Vic Calimag, Manager of Batangas Terminal.
Actresses Sandy Andolong, De Leon’s wife, their friends Gina Alajar and Jacklyn Jose participated in the coastal cleanup at the Pilipinas Shell Refinery in Brgy. Tabangao this city.
Actors Ricky Davao and Ian Veneracion helped at the coastal cleanup near the First Gas Power Plant in Brgy. Sta. Rita, also in this city.
According to Noel Mendoza, ICC coordinator, last year’s volunteers for the cleanup only numbered about 30,000.
“This year has the biggest number of volunteers. Thanks a lot to Board Member Christopher de Leon who brought his movieactor friends along,” Mendoza said.
After the cleanup, the volunteers went to the Batangas Provincial Capitol to attend an assembly which was followed by a convoy to Matuco Point where Celebrity Scubasusero program was held. Here, celebrities and scuba divers dived for an underwater cleanup.
According to de Leon, who also chairs the Committee on Tourism and Environment Protection of the Batangas Provincial Board, it’s high time for Batanguenos to protect and preserve the Verde Island Passage and all the natural resources of the province.
“When I inquired about the environment code of Batangas, I was shocked to find out that we don’t have any. We’re now planning to propose an environment code that can be implemented here. Our natural resources is now in a critical and our location is also very critical, because we have the Verde Island Passage that we’re supposed to be protecting,” De Leon said.
The Verde Island Passage is the “center of the center of marine biodiversity,” which is home to 1,736 marine species, the biggest in the world. (Mei Magsino)
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