Over 300 individuals from various sectors took part in a cleanup drive dubbed “plogging,” a multitasking activity which combines jogging and picking up trash, at a coastal area in the resort town of Panglao on Saturday morning.
According to Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) chief Charlie Fabre, the event which was organized by The Bellevue Resort was the first of its kind held in the entire region.
“Salamat sa particpants sa atoang first plogging acivity sa Region VII. This is the first na nahitabo sa region,” said Fabre.
The cleanup drive which particularly covered areas along Doljo Road and Doljo Beach yielded 1,095 kilos of non-biodegradable wastes.
It was participated by the Panglao police, Philippine Coast Guard, Panglao local government unit, PENRO, students and private individuals including tourists.
According to Bellevue general manager Romel Gonzales, the event was carried out as part of Earth Hour 2019 which was observed worldwide on Saturday.
“It’s jogging combination sa pag pickup og basura. You’re doing exercise and at the same time you’re helping in cleaning the environment,” said Gonzales. “We are celebrating Earth Hour to save mother earth and one way of saving it is cleaning up our environment,” he added.
With the success of the event, Bellevue intends to hold ”plogging” activities annually, if not monthly.