When turtles and trash don’t mix

When turtles and trash don’t mix | Daily Tribune

Olive Ridley sea turtles nest in the coast of San Pascual, Batangas every year. Standing in the way of laying their eggs in the beach sands to ensure the survival of their species are rubbish.

So much garbage litter the shore, 12 tons of it as volunteers found out after the annual coastal cleanup organized by Chevron Philippines Inc. (CPI) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

A total of 206 volunteers from the company that markets Caltex fuels and lubricants and Chevron Holdings Incorporated filled 239 sacks with trash.

The cleanup aims to ensure a safe nesting ground for Olive Ridleys.

CPI has been hosting the local San Pascual cleanup since 2007 and recorded a stark increase in hatchlings within two years. There were 23 hatchlings in 2022 and 768 this year.

CPI Batangas terminal manager Ray Año said that Chevron has remained loyal to the annual tradition as part of its larger mission to promote environmental stewardship.

“It’s our social responsibility, and we encourage all our employees to partake in whatever efforts they can to help the environment,” Año said.

Arlita Narag, CHI corporate affairs manager, said that the volunteers value the opportunity to help keep the coastline clean.

“The cleanup is also a good reminder to be responsible with waste disposal, as this can ensure that less waste ends up in the oceans and on shorelines where they negatively impact marine life,” she added.

Narag said that Chevron recognized it cannot do these annual cleanups alone. Hence, it has fostered meaningful partnerships with the local government and other private companies over the years and enlisted their members as cleanup volunteers.

Charlene Constantino from the DENR’s City Environment and Natural Resources Office in Lipa said that the long-standing partnership of Chevron with the government for these coastal cleanups has truly benefited the Olive Ridley turtle population. She pointed out that this species’ unique trait is that the grown turtles return to their hatching grounds to lay their eggs. Hence, she invites more volunteers to join the future coastal cleanups to ensure that the species’ population will continue to grow.

“We look forward to the time when the next generations will not only see these turtles through a book but for them to also have a firsthand encounter,” Constantino added.

The annual coastal cleanup is a testament to CPI’s continued commitment to making a safe habitat for sea creatures. Chevron also organizes regular tree-planting activities and hosts school seminars on practices such as waste segregation as part of its dedication to human safety, livelihood and the environment.