An underwater cleanup joined by at least 50 divers was held to mark the start of the biodiversity assessment of coastal and marine areas on the island on Oct. 23. Twelve sacks of assorted trash, mostly plastic and bottles, were collected after an hour of dive, said Michael Martillano, president of the Boracay Business Administration of Scuba Shops (BBASS), a group of divers and scuba shop operators on the island. Aside from sacks of waste, a total of 13 sacks or 244 kilos of “crown of thorns,” a large starfish were likewise collected.

Biodiversity assessment seen to aid Boracay sustainability. (2018, October 27). Panay News, B1.