Unilever supports UN environment cleanup in Philippines

BusinessWorld, 7 October 2004 - For four straight years, Unilever Philippines, together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the City of Manila, has been actively supporting the United Nations' environment program dubbed "Clean Up the World."

This year, over 300 community volunteers from the Manila Alliance of Volunteers for the Environment, Unilever employees and various barangays from Clean River Zone 1 went to the Manila Baywalk in Roxas boulevard for the annual coastal clean-up drive. The program was headed by Environment Sec. Michael Defensor.

The volunteers were equipped with cleaning gloves, garbage bags, brooms and rakes to collect the loads of garbage floating on the coast. According to the Department of Public Services of the City of Manila, an estimated 5,000 kilos of waste mostly coming from disposed plastic containers, food wrappers and drift wood accumulate the area.

The program took place at the Boardwalk along Roxas Boulevard, which has been earlier developed and improved by the Manila Mayor Joselito Atienza.

With its current improvement and beautification, along with the clean-up activity driven by the masses, not only is an important water resource being conserved, but also Manila Bay's sunset continues to capture the eyes of Filipinos and foreigners alike, according to Senior Cor-porate Relations Manager of Unilever Philippines Jika Dalupan

Unilever Philippines is a committed supporter of the rehabilitation efforts of the Pasig River and the conservation of Laguna de Bay.

It has also involved itself by way of supporting the initiative of a foundation in the reforestation of La Mesa Dam, currently the only alternative source of freshwater for south of Metro Manila. It has also engaged in many initiatives worldwide addressed to Clean Water Stewardship and conservation, which in turn is an important part of the company's Water Sustainability Initiative.

Date(range) 11 Oct 2004, 11:50