The Philippine Ports Authority joined the International Coastal Cleanup Day to raise environmental awareness and promote year-round coastal clean-ups and sustainable port practices.
21 SEPTEMBER — The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) joined the celebration of International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day along with other government agencies and stakeholders on Saturday, September 21, 2024. This activity was also held at various Port Management Offices (PMOs) of the PPA in line with the observance of Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANA Mo) this month.
PPA employees from the head office volunteered to clean at the SM Mall of Asia By the Bay Central Park, collaborating with other participants united in the goal of cleaning the coastline to address marine pollution and raise awareness about environmental protection.
“Importante ang pagkakaisa ng iba’t ibang mga ahensya ng pamahalaan para sa sama-samang pag-abot ng layunin na magkaroon tayo ng malinis na baybayin at karagatan na tayo rin naman at ang ating mga susunod na henerasyon ang makikinabang,” said PPA General Manager Jay Santiago.
GM Santiago added, “Tayo naman po sa PPA, kahit hindi International Coastal Cleanup Day, kada buwan po ay may isinasagawang coastal clean-up activities ang ating mga port management office kaya hindi lang isang araw natin ginagawa ang pangangalaga sa kapaligiran ng ating mga pantalan.”
The ICC is one of the largest volunteer efforts globally to remove trash from beaches and waterways. Related to this, the PPA continues to implement initiatives to promote sustainability and reduce the environmental impact of its port operations. These initiatives align with broader goals to integrate renewable energy, decarbonize operations, and adopt environmentally friendly practices while adhering to international standards.
The PPA has also partnered with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to reduce plastic pollution in three major ports—North Harbor, Batangas, and Cagayan de Oro—under the "No Plastics in Nature" initiative. Since 2021, the PPA has banned the unnecessary use of single-use plastics in all ports, facilities, and offices, supporting efforts to reduce plastic waste leakage into the environment by 50%.
Additionally, the PPA is implementing climate change mitigation measures through its Green Port initiatives, modeled after the Green Port Awards System (GPAS) of the APEC Port Service Network (APSN). Ports such as Cagayan de Oro and Batangas have been recognized under this system, with compliance activities are in progress for Surigao and Zamboanga.
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