By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff reporter
Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte—To mark the end of plastic free July
campaign, resort owners in this town called on volunteers to join a beach
clean-up activity on July 28, 2018.
In a public statement,
organizers said they will conduct a morning walk and clean-up drive at Saud
beach here.
They added the Habagat (monsoon) winds over the past
few weeks may had blown debris and plastic wastes in the shoreline which needed
to be removed particularly on the northern end of the cove.
Meanwhile, Sangguniang
Panlalawigan member Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc proposed a “plastic-free” Ilocos
Norte in a Dept. of Environment Natural Resources event.
“Our province turned 200
years old this year. In this new century, let us turn over a new, greener
leaf,” urged Mr. Manotoc at the 31st Founding Anniversary
Culmination Program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR) on July 6, 2018 at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena, Laoag City.
The program featured the
theme, “Beat the Plastic Pollution: If You Can’t Reuse It, Refuse It!”
Addressing the audience of
DENR officials, Mr. Manotoc admitted his growing awareness of plastic
pollution, saying, “It made me realize: I can’t stand up here and tell you to
stop using plastic if I myself use it. I am very grateful to the DENR for
reminding us because we are already seeing the damage of single-use plastic,”
he added.
Thus, Mr. Manotoc proposed
solutions in minimizing plastic pollution, particularly through buying
locally-made bamboo straws, which would also be a way to support Ilocano
entrepreneurs.
He further stated his
commitment to a “plastic-free” Ilocos Norte through proposing a provincial
anti-plastic ordinance:
“It is high time that we look
into passing our provincial anti-plastic ordinance, supporting and spreading
our local solutions.”
Mr. Manotoc also acknowledged
the initiatives of different Ilocos Norte-based environmental groups for
conducting clean-up drives.
“Together, we can make Ilocos
Norte truly livable, sustainable, and a greener province,” Manotoc encouraged.
In 2016, Provincial
Resolution No. 17 had already declared the province to be “clean, green, and
coal-free.” (With a report from Edison
Justin B. Deus)
Comments
Post a Comment