The National Maritime Council (NMC) expressed dismay over reports of accumulating piles of trash with Chinese markings along the coastline of Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
NMC Spokesperson Vice Admiral Alexander Lopez attributed the waste on the island to the characteristics of the WPS.
“Kasi kung titingnan nyo yung sa WPS, daanan kasi yan ng maraming barko, unless talagang meron diyan nakalagay na chinese character so it may follow na rin na it came from a chinese source, pwede rin maging trash yan kasi thoroughfare yan, international waters yan,” he clarified.
Marilou Vales, coordinator for Pag-asa Island, mentioned that they conduct coastal cleanups twice a month due to the ongoing situation.
In their most recent cleanup this September, residents gathered 36 sacks of trash during a two-hour event, most of which is believed to have originated from Chinese vessels.
“Mostly talaga basura ng China. Yung iba hindi ko alam kasi hindi namin mabasa sir,” Vales said. “Hindi naman siguro nakapagtataka kasi nakikita naman din natin na may mga vessels sila diyan. Siguro, tinatapon nila ang basura. So dito talaga sa coastal natin dito sa isla.”
This ongoing issue has already affected the island’s environmental protection efforts as they strive for cleanliness and proper waste segregation.
“Wala tayong magawa kundi mag-ano na lang ng mga programa para matugunan itong mga problema,” she said.
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