SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Members of the Subic Bay Freeport community have again answered the call for community cooperation and banded together for another initiative to protect the coastal environment.
Some 200 volunteers from various community groups and government agencies joined the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the Redondo Peninsula Energy Inc. (RP Energy) for a one-day coastal cleanup project at Sitio Kinabuksan in Barangay Cawag, Subic, Zambales last Saturday.
The volunteers included students from Kinabuksan, members of the Calapandayan Fisherfolks Association, personnel from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in Olongapo City, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), SBMA Ecology Center, SBMA Public Relations Department, and representatives of RP Energy.
RP Energy CSR Officer Jason Gavina said the project was the first installment of the power firm’s “Protect the Bay” initiative that seeks to promote environmental awareness, establish sustainable livelihood for fisher folks, and to protect Subic Bay.
“This is part of our social responsibility. We believe in supporting our community and not just making profit. We believe in environmental awareness, preservation and sustainability,” he said.
“I’m sure that if we’re going to do this three times this year, mahihiya at mahihiya na tayong magkalat sa ating kapaligiran,” Gavina added.
Aside from the cleanup, RP Energy will establish sustainable livelihood programs for the fisherfolk in Subic Bay, he said.
For the second coastal cleanup activity, Gavina said the RP Energy will implement on May 27 the “Basura Palit Gamit Eskwela” project, whereby children in the Cawag community could bring recyclable waste and exchange them for school supplies.
Meanwhile, Community Environment Officer Marife Castillo lauded the “Protect the Bay” project for its contribution to the government’s environmental protection campaign.
“We appreciate the initiatives of RP Energy in doing this kind of activity for the community,” Castillo said during last Saturday’s cleanup project.
RP Energy, which is developing a state-of-the-art coal-fired power plant at Subic’s Redondo Peninsula, will be using environment-friendly technology for its 600-megawatt power plant. (Dante M. Salvana)