SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Nearly 100 volunteers joined this year’s International Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, Sept. 19, clearing waste from the shoreline along the Waterfront activity area of Subic Bay Freeport.

More than 15,000 kilograms of waste have been removed from the shores of Subic Bay since January 2025 through the “Tidy Up the Tides” program, according to Maureen Laus, president and CEO of Muovere Veloce Consultancy Inc. (MVCI) and Subic Bay coordinator for the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC).

Laus said more than 3,000 volunteers have participated in the program, which combines coastal cleanup activities with the collection and documentation of marine litter data.

She said the waste collected during the cleanups is recorded and used to support discussions with manufacturers, retailers and policymakers on measures to address marine pollution.

The program is implemented through a partnership among MVCI, the Lighthouse Marina Resort Legacy Foundation and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

Laus said the partnership has expanded the cleanup effort from a one-day activity into a year-round program.

The Lighthouse Marina Resort Legacy Foundation has served as the ICC area coordinator in Zambales since 2008.

Laus also announced Nature’s Spring as a new co-presenter of Tidy Up the Tides and the ICC activities in Subic Bay this year.

She said the company has reduced the amount of plastic used in its bottles by 50% compared with a decade ago. The bottles are recyclable and have tethered caps designed to help prevent litter from reaching waterways and shorelines.

Laus said coastal cleanups alone cannot fully address marine pollution and emphasized the importance of waste prevention, reuse, recycling and proper waste segregation.

She urged volunteers, schools, civic groups, companies and other organizations to continue working together to protect Subic Bay and reduce marine litter.

The ICC is a global volunteer initiative that brings people together to clean beaches, rivers and other waterways while documenting the types and quantities of waste collected. (Text and photos by Jun Dumaguing for Ang Pahayagan Multimedia News)