Based on the report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), every year, the ocean receives 11 tons of trash every day, and that is predicted to triple by 2040 to around 29 million metric tons of trash.
This is equivalent to one garbage truck every minute downloaded to the ocean, said Mercedita G. Barbarona, Conservation and Development Division Deputy Chief, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-10, in the Talakayan sa PIA episode at SM CDO City Uptown.
Where does the trash come from? It comes from the people.
“But the problem can be solved. Kita ra sad ang maka sulbad [Only we can solve it],” said Barbarona.
In Cagayan de Oro City, there are 12 coastal barangays. In northern Mindanao, there are four coastal provinces, particularly Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, and Camiguin.
But even the landlocked province of Bukidnon has joined the international coastal cleanup day.
Presidential Proclamation Number 470 Series of 2003 declares every 3rd Saturday of September to be International Coastal Clean Up Day.
“It’s high time to get out of our houses and join this very noble campaign, manggawas ta not just manglimpyo sa tinuod kay daghan pa ta limpyohanan [we go out not just to clean because in fact there is so much more to clean], but it’s more on instilling what kind of responsibility to the people, among us that we are part of the solution,” said Barabarona.
Are we responsible citizens of the country? We need to start segregating our trash.
“Naay pera sa basura, dili tanan i-dispose nato, pwede nato pagkakitaan, dili nato pataka og labog kung magamit pa. Kung dili nato gamiton, mapakinabangan pa sa uban. Naay uban nanginabuhi pinaagi sa basura, ihatag na lang i-donate para makakwarta sila. [There is money in trash; we should not dispose of it all. We can make money out of trash; we should not throw it away if it can still be used. If we do not use it, perhaps others can still utilize it. Others make their livelihood from trash; you may give your trash to them to make money]” said Barbarona.
It focuses more on behavioral transformation.
“Dili masulbad sa pagpanilhig, dili masulbad sa pagpanghakot sa kadaghan sa basura [It cannot be solved by just sweeping; it cannot be solved by just getting all the trash], we need to revisit and review ourselves,” she said.
We have to understand that it is not only humans who need a clean environment but, more importantly, marine life in the ocean.
“Mga gagmay nga mananap, dili man nato makita, gikinahanglan nila ang limpyo nga palibot, kinahanglan sa wildlife, sa mga isda, nga limpyo nga hangin og tubig [All the small animals, we cannot see, need a clean environment, are needed by wildlife, fish, clean air, and water],” she emphasized. (JMOR/PIA-10)
Mercedita G. Barbarona, Conservation and Development Division Deputy Chief, Department of Environment and Natural Resources region 10 (DENR-10) shares importance of International Coastal Clean Up Day in Talakayan sa PIA episode at SM CDO City Uptown. (JMG/PIA10)
