‘No to Plastic Straw’ Campaign Launched in Antique

The Provincial Office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Antique launched a new campaign to say no to plastic straws in a bid to protect the environment.

“The campaign seeks to raise public awareness on the danger of plastic straws to the environment, and we connect this campaign to the observance of the Month of the Ocean with the theme ‘Free the Sea From Marine Debris’ and International Biodiversity Day,” PENR officer Andres T. Untal said during the program at the Evelio B. Javier Freedom Park here.

Untal said that plastics break down into smaller pieces, ingested by fish and other marine animals and later these marine animals die for ingesting plastic particles.

“According to a study, time will come that our seas will be containing more plastics than fish,” he said.

Cyndysol Rodrigo, representative from the Conservation and Development Division of DENR Region 6, said during the event that the campaign against plastic straw had already been launched in Iloilo and Boracay.

DENR hopes that local government units will pass an ordinance in support to the no to plastic straw campaign and other single-use plastics.

The occasion was also highlighted by the distribution of bamboo straws and information, eduction and communication (IEC) materials; the launching of coffee table book for Malandog River Rehabilitation and Development Program; Zumba dance; fun ride (bike ride) from EBJ Freedom Park to Barangay Malandog, Hamtic; and coastal cleanup in Malandog, Hamtic, and Maybato Sur, San Jose. (JBG/VWV/PIA Antique)