IN addition to raising awareness for the global marine environment, this September’s International Coastal Cleanup Day at Lio Beach in El Nido, northern Palawan, has evolved into a full-scale celebration of its unique and biodiverse ecosystems.
On September 21, a series of activities at the beach which is the centerpiece of Lio Tourism Estate by Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) will highlight key ecosystems supporting over 900 species of fish and 5 out of the 7 species of sea turtles, over 110 species of birds and other flora and fauna that thrive in the area.
At 7:30 a.m., simultaneous coastal cleanups at the estate’s 4-kilometer stretch of pristine beach and each of the island resorts developed and managed by ALI subsidiary Ten Knots Development Corp. will jump-start the events. An eco-run through Lio Beach dubbed as “plogging” will simultaneously kick-start the day.
The “ploggers” will each carry a sack while jogging through a specific 6-kilometer route. The participants will be timed as they traverse the route and the litter they collect will be weighed. Ploggers with the shortest time and heaviest sacks will receive recognition.
Joey Bernardino, TKDC director of sales and marketing, observes: “These cleanup activities highlight that what happens to the oceans affects all of us. We firmly believe that marine debris is a threat to ocean life even in our protected area in Palawan and have been participating in International Ocean Cleanup Day for over a decade now.”
In the afternoon, TKDC will launch the 3.8-kilometer Lio Hike Trail which will bring trekkers through Lio’s forests to a viewdeck 82 meters above sea level with stunning and panoramic views of Cadlao Island and sunset in Bacuit Bay. The do-it-yourself tour allows hikers opportunities to identify and encounter the Palawan hornbill and white vented shama, the Philippine mouse-deer, the long-tailed macaque, lizards and other animals endemic to the Palawan archipelago. A P100-conservation fee will be charged to each guest for the upkeep of the trail.
“Our goal is to provide Lio visitors distinct holiday experiences in the outstanding natural settings of Lio Tourism Estate,” Bernardino discloses. “We have realized that our success as a tourist destination lies in raising awareness that we have a highly unique environment that deserves to be enjoyed by future generations.”
These activities will be complimented by the installation of murals within the tourism estate by some of Palawan’s visual artists like Frances Mendoza and Jonathan Benitez to further emphasize the richness of the Lio environment. In the evening, a concert by Paulo Alampay and the Bossa Girls will cap the daylong celebration.