BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan — More than 200 participants joined the Zumba and cleanup activity on Boracay’s Bulabog Beach on Wednesday to raise awareness against single-use plastic.
The Halloween-themed activity led by the Philippine Red Cross- Boracay Malay Chapter and its Red Cross Youth members was participated by different groups on the island that was just reopened for tourists last October 26.
The activity dubbed “Zumbie” started with a 30-minute dance exercise and was followed by an hour clean-up activity at Bulabog Beach located at the opposite side of the famed White Beach of Boracay.
“We decided to conduct the activity in Bulabog in support of the island’s ongoing rehabilitation,” said Stella Marie Carreon, Red Cross Youth (RCY) Chapter Service Representative.
Carreon said the event’s primary aim is to raise awareness about REDVolution, a youth-led campaign that aims to reduce consumption of single-use plastic.
Aside from regular clean-up activities, RCY also conducts awareness campaign in different schools on Boracay and mainland Malay to promote the advocacy, said Raven Marie Pomar, RCY council president.
“Halloween is a special event among Boracaynons marked by yearly costume parties. This time, we took the opportunity to remind the Boracay community the need to minimize their usage of single-use plastic,” Pomar added.
The group likewise launched the “My Boracay Share” advocacy shirt to promote awareness about Municipal Ordinance 320 of Malay that prohibits the use of plastic bags on dry goods, regulates its use on wet goods and bans the use of styrofor.
“We want to create more advocates. By wearing the ‘My Boracay Share’ shirt, we aim to create awareness, especially among the tourists of the island about their responsibility for the island,” Carreon added. (Karen Bermejo/PNA)
