The Philippine Rotary Emergency Preparedness and Response Foundation (PREPR) is organizing “Linis Kalikasan,” a coastal and underwater cleanup in Mabini, Batangas on Sept. 17, 2022 at Pier Uno Dive Resort.
The event will be held in solidarity with Rotarians from all over the world in celebration of International Coastal Cleanup Day.
It will consist of two simultaneous cleanups—a coastal cleanup of the beaches of Mabini, and an underwater cleanup of select dive spots in partnership with Planet Dive. Participants are also encouraged to do underwater photography, of which a winner will be chosen in a photo contest.
Interested participants of Linis Kalikasan can register by messaging the PREPR Facebook page.
Call time at the venue is at 7 a.m., with the cleanup drive (both coastal and underwater) beginning at 8:30 a.m. Lunch will be provided, and a Fellowship Night will be held after the cleanup.
Gladwin So, the lead person for the project, said the event is an opportunity to preserve the beauty of the country’s marine ecosystems for future generations.
“What PREPR wants to achieve [with this cleanup] is to let the next generation experience the beauty of underwater nature. If we don’t do anything to clean our oceans, there will be a time when all we’ll see is dust and sand underwater,” So said.
The project is organized by the PREPR Foundation, created as a disaster management and response unit for the Rotary District 3780, Rotary International.
The foundation provides assistance and humanitarian aid to areas affected by disasters such as typhoons and conducts seminars on disaster management and pre-hospital care management.
Linis Kalikasan is the foundation’s first underwater activity, and its first event being organized as a proactive response to prevent future disasters.