19/09/2026
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๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐๐ฌ: ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฉ ๐
๐จ๐ซ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐๐ซ ๐๐๐๐๐ง!
Celebrate ๐ฐ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ every third Saturday of September, a global day of action that brings communities together to protect beaches, waterways, and the ocean from marine debris. This year, International Coastal Cleanup Day falls on September 19, 2026, continuing a movement that began in 1986 and has grown into one of the world's largest volunteer efforts for ocean conservation.
The International Coastal Cleanup is more than simply picking up litter along the shore. It is also an opportunity to understand where marine debris comes from and how our everyday choices can affect the health of our waterways. Trash left on streets, communities, rivers, and other inland areas can travel through drainage systems and waterways before eventually reaching the ocean. By removing waste before it reaches these ecosystems, communities can help protect marine habitats and the people and wildlife that depend on them.
In the Philippines, the International Coastal Cleanup is observed every third Saturday of September under Presidential Proclamation No. 470, s. 2003. The initiative encourages communities to remove and document marine debris while raising awareness about the effects of pollution on important ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrass beds, and coral reefs.
๐ ๐ป๐๐๐๐ ๐ป๐๐๐: ๐บ๐๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐๐, ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐๐๐๐!
Did you know that the International Coastal Cleanup does more than remove trash? Volunteers also record the types and amounts of debris they collect, creating valuable information that helps researchers, organizations, and communities understand patterns of marine pollution and develop solutions.
Plastic remains one of the most common forms of waste found during coastal cleanups. In the 2025 International Coastal Cleanup, volunteers worldwide collected more than 1.3 million plastic beverage bottles and 885,000 bottle caps, showing how everyday single-use items can become persistent sources of pollution when they are not properly managed.
But every cleanup begins with something simple: one person choosing to care. Whether it is joining a coastal cleanup, properly disposing of waste, reducing single-use plastics, or keeping litter away from waterways, our everyday actions can help protect the ocean. A cleaner coast is not created in one day, but every responsible action brings us one step closer to healthier seas.
๐ฒ๐-๐ณ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ณ๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ฑ
Words | Daniela Condeza
Illustration | Reann Rain Polley
