Pasacao, Camarines Sur - The Summer Capital Town of CamSur is every Camarinesense's childhood summer destination. I miss the grandeur of this beach every time summer approaches back in the days. I remember picking up a perfect heart shaped stone and kept it during my elementary days. This vivid picture of how clean and clear the shoreline still lingers in my memory.
We all contributed to the current situation of the Summer Capital Town of CamSur. It might be the same old Pasacao beach to many but you know what I mean. I believe, the same people can change it back for the better. What we're seeing today in Pasacao is never really the same as compared from two decades ago or more. The bulk of people visiting a place for recreation poses high risk of getting it polluted.
Last September 25, I joined a coastal clean up in Caranan, Pasacao, Camarines Sur organized by Central Bicol State University of Agriculture's (CBSUA) League of Ecologists managed by my mom, Ma'am Joyce DLT. Every clean up drive is somehow ironic for me. Why do people have to clean other peoples' town? Is it too much for them to clean their own place? Perhaps the purpose of any clean-up drive is always two-way: First, to let the residents feel concerned that locals from other towns are the ones cleaning their own town (sounds a little bit sarcastic to be honest). Second, the spirit of volunteerism still reigns in every person who joins clean-up drives. Either way, I do hope every clean-up drive does not cause dependency on the volunteering group and that volunteers never get tired of their advocacy to help others.
The clean-up was supported by the Army Engineers of the BicolBuilders based in Camp Weene, Pili, Camarines Sur. The Army Engineers provided the transportation of the group. Also, volunteer faculty members of CBSUA joined the drive. As they say it, the more hands the better. Some of the students had to dip in the water since it's still part of the shoreline during low tide. Sad reality, there are trashes underneath the water almost buried in the sand.
Notice the thin rope on the photo below? The students and volunteers are literally boxed in, so that every part of the shore is completely cleared from trash. This is actually a good strategy for a very purposive activity. Kung sa Bicol, nasusurod na maray ang ati sa pangpang kang dagat.
This is not your ordinary clean-up drive. The volunteers were divided into groups and each group takes note of the trash collected like garments, plastic wrappers, bottles, slippers, copper wires, etc. Collected data will be sent to Manila for further studies. Proper segregation of the trash was also followed.
Aside from the clean-up, hitting two birds with one stone, a laboratory activity was also conducted by a specific year level of the BS Environmental Science students.
The activity was supposedly scheduled September 27 for the Simultaneous International Coastal Clean Up. Since September 25 was a holiday, the group decided to have it on that day so that they will be able to rest for Monday.
I can still remember my first coastal clean-up drive almost 5 years ago. I was with a different group then. The location was near the Pasacao market. You can just imagine the thrash in the area? Collection was done like the usual way, no recording of what was gathered and with no segregation. So maybe in future clean-up drive endeavors, at least the segregation of the waste should be followed.
And oh by the way, good luck to CBSUA, they are one of the National Finalists in the SEARCH FOR SUSTAINABLE AND ECO-FRIENDLY SCHOOLS. I believe the Top 3 will be announced this November.
Just recently, the Philippines is in the top 3 of participating countries in the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) 2015 report of Ocean Conservancy. So this means I/WE were able to contribute to this project! Yay! You can read more about this achievement at
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