BISLIG CITY — Personnel from the Coast Guard Station Surigao del Sur led a multi-agency coastal clean-up drive and Scubasurero activity at Hagonoy Island and its surrounding waters in Mangagoy, Bislig City. The operation brought together the Coast Guard Special Operations Unit – Northeastern Mindanao, Coast Guard Sub-Station Bislig, MEPU-SDS, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) Bislig, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Bislig City Jail, and the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary 1505th Squadron. The initiative aimed to promote marine environmental protection and responsible waste management while removing debris from both the shoreline and underwater areas surrounding the island.
Understanding Scubasurero and Its Role in Marine Protection
The Scubasurero program, a portmanteau of "scuba" and "basurero" (garbage collector), is an initiative of the Philippine Coast Guard that mobilizes volunteer divers to retrieve marine debris from the seafloor and coral reef areas that are inaccessible to surface clean-ups. The program reflects a growing recognition that marine pollution is not limited to what is visible on the shore. Submerged plastics, discarded fishing gear, and other debris can smother coral reefs, entangle marine life, and degrade the health of coastal ecosystems. By combining land-based clean-up efforts with underwater retrieval operations, the activity at Hagonoy Island addressed the problem of marine litter at its source, protecting the island's coral reefs and the marine life that depends on them.
A Shared Commitment to Cleaner Coastal Communities
The initiative underscores the importance of inter-agency cooperation in environmental protection. By bringing together the Philippine Coast Guard, local disaster response offices, and community volunteers, the clean-up demonstrated that safeguarding marine ecosystems requires collective action. Hagonoy Island, a known white-sand beach destination accessible by boat from the Mangagoy wharf, is one of Bislig City's valuable natural attractions. Keeping its waters and shoreline free of waste not only protects the environment but also preserves the island's appeal for tourism and the livelihoods that depend on it. The participating agencies reaffirmed their shared commitment to cleaner, safer, and more sustainable coastal communities, setting an example for continued partnership in marine conservation.
