The initiative is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 14 which tackles life below water.

Volunteers trooped to the famous bay for the annual clean-up drive.

This was clearly the perspective of more than 11,000 people who trooped to SM by the Bay recently for the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) event the conglomerate initiated where 31,564 kilograms of waste were amassed.

“When we see people gathering from all walks of life, from all age groups, doing something with a common goal, it just warms the heart to see that people actually care about the environment,” Perkin So, senior assistant vice president of SM Mall of Asia, said.

The initiative is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 14 which tackles “life below water.”

On a broader spectrum, this specific SDG aims to protect all that lives underwater from land-based activities such as pollution and harmful human activities that put marine and coastal ecosystems at risk.

In the Philippines, this is timely and relevant as the country is composed mainly of bodies of water having more than 7,000 islands.

“We, at SM, remain committed to supporting our communities by doing our part in caring for the environment,” the official added.

ICC is one of the largest events of SM by the Bay in keeping true to its word in making the Manila Bay waste-free for citizens to enjoy.

Begun in 2015, clean-up drives are conducted every quarter by SM by the Bay and the SM Mall of Asia. More than 700,000 kilograms of trash from the bay have been collected thus far.

The volunteers were comprised of students, professionals and community members who responded to the call of the world.