Thousands of volunteers show up for SM by the BAY Coastal Cleanup drive
Thousands of volunteers, comprising of students, professionals and employees, gathered together and collected an estimated 31,564 kilograms of non-biodegradable waste in the recently concluded SM by the BAY coastal cleanup drive held at the SM by the Bay area.
The initiative is in observance of the 34th International Coastal Cleanup day on September 21 led by SM by the Bay and SM Mall of Asia, in collaboration with DENR-NCR, International Coastal Cleanup Philippines, Pasay City CENRO, Philippine Coast Guard, the local government of Pasay City, and SM Cares, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of SM Prime Holdings, Inc., to raise awareness in keeping the coastline clean for future generations.
Held at the Central Park of the bay area, inside the Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City, the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) is one of the biggest events of SM by the BAY, as support to its advocacy in environmental preservation.
This year’s coastal cleanup has been participated by online and on-site volunteers totaling to 16,293 and is comprised of students, firemen, policemen, teachers, athletes, and SM employees among many others.
“When we see people gathering from all walks of life, from all age groups doing something with a common goal, it just warms the heart to see that people actually care about the environment and they’re doing it with their loved ones as well here at SM by the BAY,” said Perkin So, Senior Assistant Vice President of SM Mall of Asia.
Paired volunteers were assigned to different stations wherein one served as the collector and other, the tabulator. Data collected was then forwarded to Ocean Conservancy for final tabulation.
The event also falls in with UN Sustainable Development Goal #14: Life Below Water which is aimed at the sustainable management and protection of marine and coastal ecosystems from pollution, and safeguarding them from all kinds of harmful land-based activities.
SM Cares is the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of SM Prime Holdings, Inc. Other environment and sustainability programs of SM include SM by the BAY’s quarterly cleanup drive; Solar panel rooftop installations which promote the use of clean energy; Water recycling treatment for all malls wherein all recycled water is used back for non-potable and industrial needs; the Automated Weather Stations; the monthly Trash-to-Cash Recycling Market; and the Green Film Festival, to name a few.
As a responsible member of the community, SM ensures that its CSR programs serve as a catalyst for positive change in the communities that it supports. To know more about SM Cares, you may visit https://www.facebook.com/