The Department of the Interior and Local Government – National Capital Region (DILG-NCR) joined government agencies, local government units (LGUs), private sectors partners, civil society organizations, communities, and volunteers in the observance of the 2026 International Coastal Clean-up (ICC) on September 19, 2026, reaffirming the importance of collective action in protecting the country’s coastal and marine resources.

The DILG-NCR Regional Office and its Field Offices actively participated in the nationwide cleanup through simultaneous engagement in four coastal and waterways sites across Metro Manila—SM by the Bay in Pasay City, Manila Ocean Park and Baseco in Manila, and Bagumbayan North in Navotas City. The participation underscored the Department’s commitment to mobilizing its personnel and strengthening collaboration with local governments and other stakeholders in advancing environmental protection, particularly through sustained efforts to keep coastal areas and waterways clean and support the rehabilitation and preservation of Manila Bay.

At the ICC activity at SM by the Bay in Pasay City, DILG-NCR Regional Director Maria Lourdes L. Agustin, CESO III, emphasized the importance of collective action in protecting coastal and marine resources. She noted that the ICC is more than a cleanup activity, as it provides an opportunity to put “Bayanihan into action” through collaboration among government, the private sector, civil society, communities, and volunteers. 

“As we conduct today’s clean-up, let us remember that our responsibility goes beyond collecting waste,” Agustin said, calling for sustained efforts to prevent pollution at its source, promote responsible waste management, and encourage communities to adopt sustainable practices.

DILG-NCR’s participation in the 2026 ICC complements its continuing engagement with LGUs and partner agencies in advancing environmental governance and supporting efforts toward the rehabilitation and preservation of Manila Bay. Through the active involvement of its Regional and Field Offices across four cleanup sites, the Department reaffirmed its support for coordinated and sustained environmental action among communities surrounding the bay.

Through sustained collaboration, responsible waste management, and active community participation, DILG-NCR joins its partners in translating the spirit of bayanihan into continuing action for the protection and preservation of Manila Bay and the country’s coastal and marine resources.