As the country marked the 47th anniversary of the declaration of martial law last Saturday, about 20,000 people gathered around Manila Bay for a different type of observance: International Coastal Cleanup or ICC Day. The special day is now seen as the world’s most extensive volunteer effort to promote ocean health, with over 100 countries participating. The Philippines has been among the most active participants in the event, which was started in 1986 by the US-based environmental group Ocean Conservancy. This is due in part to the fact that the country, with its extensive coastline, is also among the most threatened by rising ocean temperatures and sea levels. Beyond the annual observance, the Philippine government continues its cleanup of Boracay. In Metro Manila, about 10,000 people participated in the launch on Jan. 27 this year of the government’s ambitious program to clean up Manila Bay, including the rivers and other waterways that drain into the bay.

Coastal cleanup. (2019, September 23). The Philippine Star, p. 16.