22/09/2026
Negrosanons Join Coastal Clean-ups, Call to Address Waste Crisis and Fossil Fuels
September 2026 — At least 1,200 Negrosanons joined simultaneous coastal and community clean-ups in Bacolod City, Bago City, Calatrava, Sagay, Cadiz, San Carlos, and other areas across Negros on Saturday for International Coastal Cleanup Day, calling for stronger action against pollution and climate change.
The activities brought together young people, communities, civil society organizations, and environmental advocates to remove waste while highlighting the systemic problems behind environmental degradation.
“This is not simply about picking up trash. We see the consequences of pollution firsthand, but communities should not have to continuously bear its costs. We need action that prevents pollution at its source and prevents it from leaking into our environment,” said Joshua Villalobos, Secretary-General of the Negrosanon Initiative for Climate and the Environment (NICE).
The clean-ups highlighted the need to address communities affected by waste pollution, including residents of Barangay Felisa in Bacolod City, which hosts the city's landfill. NICE called on the local government to fully implement and enforce Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, including waste segregation, diversion, composting, and recycling, while rejecting incineration as a false solution.
“We are calling on the local government of Bacolod to work with communities and environmental advocates to fully enforce RA 9003, reduce dependence on landfills, and protect our water sources and communities,” said Jenny Ortillo, President of the Parent-Teachers Association of Jovito H. Sayson National High School in Barangay Felisa, who joined the Bacolod clean-up.
The activities also coincided with the Global Week of Action for a Fossil-Free Future, under the banner “This World is Ours.” The campaign calls for a just transition away from fossil fuels toward clean and resilient energy systems.
The call is also relevant to the Visayas' recent power disruptions caused by the tight electricity supply and the unavailability of several large coal-fired power plants due to forced outages causing the rotational brownouts.
“We need a clean and reliable energy system, not greater dependence on fossil fuels. And we need to make polluters pay—those responsible for pollution should bear the costs of preventing and repairing the damage, rather than communities,” Villalobos said.
The groups called for stronger environmental enforcement, responsible waste management, accountability for polluters, and a just transition toward renewable energy.
