PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan (PIA) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is increasing community awareness against single-use plastics in Palawan through its recently launched PLASTIKalikasan program.
Environmental Management Bureau Regional Director Joe Amil Salino, said that collaborative efforts are significant to change the way of consuming and disposing of plastics.
Salino cited United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) data, wherein one million plastics are sold every minute and about five trillion plastic bags are sold worldwide every year. Half of the volume recorded is designed for a single-use purpose.
“Nais nating iparating sa ating mga kababayan na ito ang panahon para baguhin natin ang paggawa, pagkonsumo at pagtapon ng mga plastic,” he said.
[We want to inform our constituents that this is the time to change the way we consume and dispose plastics.]
The launch of the department’s program with the theme ‘Planet versus Plastics’ also coincides with the eight episodes of Save the Puerto Princesa Bays. The program was initiated in 2023 by the city government to save the water bodies of Puerto Princesa for the next generation.
“These are all efforts for the circuit to ensure that our treasured water bodies and aquatic resources will be free from any form of plastic solution,” he added.
City Mayor Lucilo Bayron encourages participation of locals in cleanup efforts to save bays. (Photo from City Information Department of Puerto Princesa Facebook Page)
Puerto Princesa City Mayor Lucilo Bayron encouraged locals to continuously be involved in such efforts, especially with the increasing number of people in Puerto Princesa that could contribute to the volume of waste.
Bayron previously said that cleaning the bays of the city could also boost the local economy as it could entice organizers of various events, like water sports activities.
“Habang dumadami ang mga tao ay parami ng parami ang nadadala natin sa bay, pasama ng pasama ang sitwasyon ng bay natin, sasabayan pa ng kalat ng basura—pero dito sa Puerto Princesa kaya nating mapagtagumpayan, ‘yon nga lang pagpupursigihan natin at pagsasakripisyuhan nating lahat,” he said.
[While the population increases, the waste we contribute to the bay also increases, making the condition of our bay worse—But we can champion it in Puerto Princesa, we just need to be persistent and make sacrifices.] (RG/PIA Mimaropa - Palawan)
BANNER PHOTO FROM THE CITY INFORMATION DEPARTMENT OF PUERTO PRINCESA
