Andy Berame, Lapu-Lapu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management officer-in-charge and coastal operations coordinator, says Scubasurero is one of the cleanup campaign in Lapu-Lapu City. /Irene R. Sino Cruz
CEBU CITY, Philippines–The Junior Chamber International (JCI) Cebu Sinulog chapter will mark Earth Day with combined coastal and dive cleanup in Lapu-Lapu City.
Henny Sescon, 2019 IO president, said the project called Scubasurero 2019 would be held on April 21, one day before the Earth Day celebration.
Andy Berame, Lapu-Lapu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management officer-in-charge and coastal operations coordinator, said they chose April 21 as the cleanup date, which falls on a Sunday, to get more volunteers.
Berame noted that the volunteers have to be a scuba diver with advanced deep water certification.
He explained that they require experienced divers to prevent damage to the marine life underwater such as the corals.
Scubasurero is coined from the words scuba diving and basurero.
The local organization implemented this project starting 2003. Chapter members initiated the Scubasurero 2019 to help address the plastic debris and waste problem in Lapu-Lapu City.
They target areas that are facing the Hilutungan Channel. The volunteers will collect debris from the sea bed and the shorelines.
This year, however, JCI Cebu Sinulog is expanding its scope by including a coastal cleanup simultaneous to the cleanup dive by volunteer divers.
Sescon said they could accommodate up to 100 volunteers.
Because of this, she said, all those who want to participate in the project have to register by sending a message to www.facebook.com/jcicsi or to 09176337820.
However, volunteers have to pay for the use of the boat and snorkeling or diving gears./dcb