Nickel Asia Corp., together with its subsidiaries—Cagdianao Mining, Dinapigue Mining, Hinatuan Mining, Hinatuan-Manicani Project, Rio Tuba Nickel, and Taganito Mining—once again lead in “Plogging” for World Environment Day 2019.
It is the second year that NAC conducted this sports activity simultaneously with its subsidiaries all over the country, with the theme “Healthy Ka Na, Nakalinis Ka Pa.”
Plogging is jogging while picking up trash.
The United Nations declares June 5 of every year as WED, declaring today as “a special day to draw awareness and encourage actions to pressing environment concerns” such as pollution.
This is the second year that NAC as a corporate citizen is participating in this world event that is celebrated by some 100 countries across the globe.
The NAC-wide Plogging was simultaneously conducted today by NAC employees and their partners in their respective communities from the company’s mining operations in Surigao Del Norte, in Bataraza in Palawan; in Cagdianao in Dinagat Island; in Dinapigue in Isabela; and in Guiuan in Eastern Samar.
In Surigao City alone, some 2,000 kilos of trash, as estimated by DENR-PENRO, were collected by some 150 joggers who joined this year’s NAC-wide Plogging. NAC hopes that this amount of trash plucked from the streets by the joggers will gradually decrease as the company intensifies its campaign on responsible waste management.
Ploggers from Surigao City were joined by members of the Surigao Runners Club; REACT Miners; Tri-Sur; Bugsay Marajaw Surigao; Emergency Service Corp. Alumni Association, BJMP, BFP, DENR-PENRO, DepEd, Joy FM, and other running enthusiasts.
Engineer Robert Francisco, NAC-Taganito Mining’s Environment Manager, said: “We are doing this activity every year to get the attention and the support of the communities to get involve in the discourse on environment protection and sustainability.”
“We at NAC take these matters very seriously and our everyday work involves discussions on issues pertaining to serious environment concerns such as plastic and air pollution and we want everyone on the communities to get in on the game.”
UN also calls WED as a “the people’s day for doing something to take care of the earth” and NAC employees are taking the lead in rallying the people in the communities that the company serves to recommit themselves in our inherent responsibilities as stewards of the environment and natural resources.
“Battling pollution as one way to care for the environment is a rough and tough challenge but not impossible if hurdled collectively as responsible communities,” Francisco said.