THE RECENT September 20 observance of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) once again proved the power of collective action. In Western Visayas, thousands rolled up their sleeves at dawn — from Iloilo Cty’s Barangay Sto. Niño Sur to Boracay Island and Antique’s Malandog coast — to rid our shorelines of the plastics and debris choking our seas. For a few hours, communities became one in spirit, united by the vision of clean, living waters.
But here lies the real challenge: what happens after the volunteers pack up their sacks and the ceremonial photos are taken? Can we sustain the spirit of ICC beyond a single Saturday in September?
As Mitzi Peñaflorida of the Iloilo Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office aptly put it, “All waterways, whether in uplands, lowlands, urban environments, or coastal regions, should be involved in cleanup efforts.” Her reminder rings louder when one considers Iloilo’s situation: garbage collected along coastlines often originates upstream, from clogged esteros, canals, and rivers. A plastic wrapper thrown carelessly in the city’s streets can eventually find its way to the Iloilo River and, ultimately, into the sea.
To its credit, the region has made headway. Data from recent audits show a decline in the volume of waste collected compared to previous years. Iloilo’s Limpyo Iloilo program, with its regular cleanup drives and awareness campaigns, has instilled in many residents the habit of cleanliness along highways and public spaces. But a single cleanup day will never be enough to solve a problem that grows daily with every sachet, every discarded bottle, every styrofoam container.
What is required is discipline woven into the fabric of daily life. Waste segregation at home, proper disposal in schools and offices, sustained enforcement of anti-littering ordinances, and stronger accountability from local government units in maintaining waste facilities — these must be the norms, not exceptions. Businesses, too, must be part of the solution, minimizing single-use plastics and embracing sustainable practices.
The ICC shows us what we can achieve when we act together. But let us not mistake it for the finish line. Instead, let it serve as a yearly reminder that clean seas begin with the smallest daily decisions on land. Only when discipline becomes a habit — not a once-a-year show of force — can Iloilo and the rest of Western Visayas truly claim victory in the battle against marine litter.
