A TOTAL of 3,635 volunteers joined the 2026 International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) across the Zamboanga Peninsula on Saturday, September 19, collecting nearly 10 metric tons of waste from 32 coastal and waterway sites.
Led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Zamboanga Peninsula in partnership with national government agencies, local government units, schools, civic groups, private organizations, uniformed personnel and community stakeholders, the cleanup collected about 1,384 sacks or trash bags weighing an estimated 9,952.58 kilograms.
The DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula said the activity anchored on the theme “Clean Seas for Resilient Communities”, was held in conjunction with the 2026 Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANA Mo).
The DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula said that among the most common wastes recovered were plastic wrappers and bags, PET bottles, food packaging, used tires and fishing-related materials.
“The collected waste was turned over to concerned LGUs (Local Government Units) and partners for segregation, recovery, diversion and proper disposal,” the DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula said in a statement.
The 2026 cleanup expanded its coverage to 32 sites from 20 sites in 2025.
The DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula said the wider coverage, coupled with variations in waste collected at individual sites, means the figures should not be treated on their own as a direct measure of reduced marine pollution.
Instead, the results underscore the need for sustained measures to prevent garbage from reaching waterways and coastal areas, including proper waste segregation and disposal, recycling and recovery, community education, and stronger management of waste originating from inland communities, according to the DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula.
The environment agency said the annual cleanup serves not only as a waste-removal campaign but also as a reminder of the shared responsibility of government, communities and other stakeholders to protect the region’s coastal and marine resources. (SunStar Zamboanga)