10,000 VOLUNTEERS FOR 2014 OLONGAPO COASTAL CLEANUP

More than 10,000 volunteers trooped to different location in the city on Saturday to participate in the yearly International Coastal Cleanup organized by the local

government of Olongapo.

Olongapo City Mayor Rolen Paulino led the volunteers at Parola, in Barangay Kalaklan.

Volunteers around the city gathered at their designated areas around the city at around 6am.

“Thank you very much for waking up early to participate in this cleanup, malaking tulong ito para sa ating karagatan, nanduon din sa ating mga ilog ang marami pang volunteer para maglinis din,” Paulino said.

“We should do this more often,” Paulino urged the volunteers during the opening ceremony.

He added that Olongapo broke its target of 10,000 volunteers with 10,741 this year up from last year’s 7,729.

The cleanup was originally scheduled last Sept 20 but was postponed due to typhoon Mario.

“We did not expect that we would break our target due to the postponement but fortunately, the volunteers heeded our call which shows the commitment of the residents to participate in this event,” Councilor Jong Cortez said.

Paulino explained that the cleanup was divided into 18 sites all over the city, representing the 17 barangays and one site for the local government.

Organizers of the International Costal Clean up added that Subic Freeport managed to gather around 2,500 volunteers while in Zambales, there were around 26,0000 volunteers, making the combined total to around 45,000 volunteers.

The cleanup in Olongapo City included waterways where trash that ends up in the shores come from.