Officials and employees of PCIC collected trash and debris at the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Eco-Tourism Area (LPPCHEA) on May 7, 2019 to promote clean and healthy environment, specially in the Manila Bay area.

The cleanup in the LPPCHEA also formed part of the celebration of the PCIC’s  38^th foundation anniversary. 

Men and women from PCIC’s Head Office as well as Regional Offices 1, 2, 3, 3A and 4 joined the event and comprised the PCIC’s cleanup team.  Together, they collected 500 bags of trash, consisting of plastic wastes, glass bottles and styrofoam.

LPPCHEA has around 30 hectares of mangrove forest and 114 hectares of lagoons, tidal mudflats and mixed beach forests. It has been declared a critical habitat especially of wild birds by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in 2007.

If garbage in the area accumulate and remain uncollected, they will hamper the healthy growth of the significant mangrove forest and the survival of the wildlife it harbors.    

 “The PCIC cares for the environment as much as we care for farmers and other workers whose livelihood depend on agriculture,” PCIC President Jovy Bernabe, who led the team, said. 

Atty. Bernabe also noted the significance of caring for the mangroves and coastal vegetation.” The Wetlands International and The Nature Conservancy have established that mangroves control waves and mangrove belts reduce the flooding caused by storm surges,” he said.

“That is why keeping coastal areas clean has been an integral part of PCIC’s corporate social responsibility activities,” Atty. Bernabe added. 

Coastal cleanup is a strategy for engaging people in the effort to protect and conserve the environment.   The huge volume of the garbage collected prompted employees to call on the public to keep mangroves clean and dispose waste properly.