Bellevue Bohol’s province-wide volunteers came together for the International Coastal Cleanup 2021
A staunch believer and advocate of sustainable tourism and vanguard of the environment, the two-time ASEAN Green Hotel awardee, The Bellevue Resort – Bohol, led the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup in Bohol for the fourth year in a row. Despite the pandemic, the resort has not lost sight of its underlying commitment to protect the environment. This year, they expanded its participation province-wide with 2-day hybrid activities in partnership with the Department of Tourism and Provincial Government of Bohol through the Provincial Tourism Office.
The five-star resort kicked off the worldwide campaign by hosting a webinar entitled “Connect and Collect: Trash Free Seas Start at Home” with 128 virtual attendees with speakers – Miss Universe PH ‘20 – 3rd Runner Up and Ambassador for Tourism, Ms. Pauline Amelinckx, Bb. Pilipinas International 2021, Ms. Hannah Arnold, and Coastal Resource Division Head of Bohol Environment Management Office, Ms. Villa Pelindingue, who shared their insights and talked about interesting waste management methods and possible solutions starting at home.
On September 18, 2021, a total of 772 volunteers all over Bohol joined the socially distant cleanup drive with 22 LGUs in their respective communities with small-scale groups, including organizations and private sectors, who all formed special bubble groups to ensure everyone’s safety while following health protocols. Among the volunteers were 63 licensed divers for underwater cleanup at Doljo Seas, Panglao Island.
Volunteers were able to remove a total of 2,159 kilos of non-biodegradable trash from coastline and underwater – successfully collected and segregated. While following strict safety protocols, this year’s ICC would have not been possible without the support of its dedicated volunteers and partners namely, the Department of Tourism, Provincial Government of Bohol led by Governor Art Yap, Municipality of Panglao, Globe Telecom, Club Aquasports, Clean Code, Sea & Land, Blue Freedom Apnea, Plastic Free Bohol, and Mister Bohol Organization.
Things may be different due to the ongoing pandemic, but now that we are getting accustomed to the new norm, we can still make an impact when we work together or even apart to clean up and protect our oceans.
Since its opening in 2013, the luxurious and eco-friendly resort has been consistently spearheading meaningful initiatives – leading responsible tourism in Bohol, in its efforts to highlight the importance of playing an active role in promoting sustainability and helping the community.