Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-6 Regional Director Jim O. Sampulna asked the public to avoid using plastic products, especially single-use plastic. For the record, there are about 8 million metric tons of plastics thrown into the ocean annually and the Philippines ranked as the 3rd world’s largest source of plastic pollutants leaking into the sea and among the highest trash collection rates in Southeast Asia. Throwing of plastics in the ocean had resulted in the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” (GPGP). The GPGP is the largest of the five offshore plastic accumulation zones or floating island of garbage in the world’s oceans. It is located halfway between Hawaii and California at the Pacific Ocean.

DENR-6 chief calls for ban on plastic products. (2018, July 21-22). The Daily Guardian, pp. 13, 14.