GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Environmental stakeholders and volunteers here gathered more than 100 sacks of trash during a coastal cleanup activity on Monday in line with the 4th World Earth Day celebration.
Allan Marcilla, assistant head of the city economic management and cooperative development office, said in a statement on Tuesday that about 300 volunteers joined the coastal cleanup dubbed "GenSan Earth Day Convergence".
Marcilla said the residual and recyclable wastes, which comprised plastics, tin cans, bottles and even underwear, were recovered at the city's Queen Tuna Park and nearby beaches.
Some of the wastes were gathered by a team of volunteer divers called "scubasureros" from the Sox Free Divers group.
"We sent the recovered wastes to our sanitary landfill for proper disposal," said Marcilla, the coordinator of the convergence activity.
He said the event was the first-ever convergence activity "to save Sarangani Bay" that was hosted by the city.
It was participated in by personnel and volunteers from the city government, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Protected Area Management Board - Sarangani, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, City Tourism Council, Brigada Group of Companies, United States Agency for International Development, RD Foundation, and the city police.
The activity was also graced by Miss Earth Philippines-Southern Mindanao Patricia Maye Hoffman.
Marcilla said they held the event at the Queen Tuna Park to highlight the importance of protecting the area, which hosts nesting sites of marine turtles.
He said the park is also near a portion of the Sarangani Bay where sightings of whale sharks or "butandings" were reported in January and February.
Aside from the coastal cleanup, the city government spearheaded an Earth Day walk, youth forum at the SM Mall atrium and concert at the oval plaza covered court. (PNA)
