The municipality of El Nido in Palawan, which has been periodically adjudged as among the world’s best islands, joined the recent annual International Coastal Cleanup, which aims to raise awareness on the critical state of world’s coastal and marine ecosystem.
More than 450 volunteers from barangay Lio, staff of the Ten Knots resorts, guests of Lio Tourism Estate, and foreign tourists joined the day-long activities which included “plogging” where participants picked up trash as they jogged along Lio Beach.
Some 17,417 pieces of trash were collected along the scenic Bacuit Bay, consisting of styropor, plastic bottles, residuals and other non-biodegradable wastes, while recyclable wastes were sold.
Now on the fourth year of its hosting, Lio Tourism Estate also led beach games, art installations, and an obstacle course made up of trash materials collected from last year’s coastal cleanup.
A mountain hiking trail was also formally opened that will serve as a new adventure and ecotourism activity in the area.
A continuing environmental program has been put in place by El Nido Resorts, the town’s major tourism stakeholder, to ensure ecological sustainability through wildlife conservation, marine protection and waste management.
Situated north of Palawan, the town of El Nido has been constantly voted as among the 20 Most Beautiful Beaches in the World for its extraordinary natural splendor and ecosystem.
The national government has declared the town a marine reserve park and a managed resource protected area, while the municipal government has been implementing a carrying capacity system for its major island destinations.
