PPA kicks off the National Maritime Week 2025 with its participation in the International Coastal Clean-Up at SM Mall of Asia By the Bay.
20 September 2025 – The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), this year’s official host of the National Maritime Week (NMW) 2025, kicked off the celebration by joining the global observance of International Coastal Clean-Up (ICC) Day through a large-scale clean-up drive at SM Mall of Asia By the Bay Central Park.
A total of 100 PPA employees participated in the activity. Volunteers collected assorted waste along the shoreline, preventing debris from entering Manila Bay and its connected waterways.
The International Coastal Clean-Up Day, held every third Saturday of September, is the world’s largest volunteer effort to clean waterways and coastlines. Established in 1986 by the Ocean Conservancy, the campaign has grown into a worldwide movement that aims to raise awareness about marine debris, encourage proper waste management, and inspire community action for cleaner oceans.
PPA General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago lauded the collective effort, saying: “The ocean is at the heart of our nation’s identity and economy. Joining the International Coastal Clean-Up Day is one of the many steps that we are taking to protect our marine environment. This commitment extends beyond a single day, PPA remains dedicated to implementing sustainable practices across all ports.”
The clean-up is part of PPA’s long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable port operations. From 2016 to June 2025, the agency has collected 228,216.07 kilograms of waste from clean-up drives across its Port Management Offices (PMOs). Meanwhile, as of May 2025, ports nationwide have properly managed 1,172,081.04 kilograms of port-generated solid waste.
Beyond waste management, PPA has been at the forefront of sustainable initiatives such as integrating renewable energy solutions, decarbonizing port activities, and banning unnecessary single-use plastics since 2021. The agency’s partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) under the “No Plastics in Nature” initiative has also reduced plastic pollution in major ports including North Harbor, Batangas, and Cagayan de Oro. These efforts earned PPA recognition from WWF Philippines in 2023 for championing plastic-free operations and environmental awareness across its 130 ports.
As host of the National Maritime Week 2025, PPA is leading this year’s celebration themed “Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity.” The week-long activities will feature different events and programs designed to strengthen maritime awareness and inspire collective action for a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable future.
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