Cleaning Up Plastic Waste in Puerto Galera, Philippines
In October 2022, a team of 18 Berge Bulk colleagues — including 10 Junior Officers, 5 Senior Officers, and 3 members of the shore team — visited Puerto Galera, Philippines to attend the Sea Adventure School, an environmental education programme organised by the local Filipino charity, Stairway Foundation. For many years the charity has been funded by Berge Bulk’s Marshall Foundation.
As part of the programme, our Berge Bulk team of volunteers spent a morning cleaning up a local mangrove forest. The forest was congested with rubbish washing in from the sea, and from nearby villages and tourist destinations. The participants learnt about all of the different types of plastic, how long each type takes to decompose, and the impact that plastic waste has on the marine environment.
Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, and we plan to continue organising this activity on an annual basis going forward.
“I’ve learnt that human beings have a significant impact on the environment, and I’ve realised the importance of raising awareness.”Ross Dalagan
Captain
“I realised that mangroves play an important role because they serve as a buffer zone between land and sea, as well as a breeding ground for marine species.”Rodolfo De Guzman Jr.
Second Officer
Project Partners
Stairway Foundation and their Sea Adventure School inspires students and teachers to fight climate change and to respect and to protect the environment in which we live.
“The most interesting thing I’ve learnt is that some types of plastic take hundreds of years to decompose.”Chong Gi Kian
Marine HR Assistant Manager
