'For the pawikans': International swimwear brand leads La Union coastal cleanup

MANILA, Philippines — Over 170 volunteers joined Blackbough Swim, an international swimwear brand based in the Philippines, in a massive one-day coastal cleanup that coincided with Earth Day celebrations last April.  

A truckload of trash was removed from the nesting beaches of endangered sea turtles in Bacnotan, La Union, thus also making the event a fundraiser for endangered pawikans.

This year’s beach cleanup was a natural follow-up to Blackbough Swim’s inaugural cleanup in 2023, which saw over 100 sacks of trash removed from Malinao Beach, Siargao. It marked the swimwear brand’s continued commitment to marine conservation, a core tenet of the brand’s sustainability journey.

According to a study in 2021 reported by Science Daily, removing plastics from our beaches is vital because it stops them from becoming micro plastics that endanger marine creatures.

The shores of Bacnotan, a sanctuary for the endangered pawikan (sea turtles), were the focal point of this year’s initiative. As part of its ongoing mission to champion marine conservation, Blackbough Swim joined forces with the Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions (CURMA), whose leadership in marine turtle conservation in the Philippines has been crucial for coastal forest restoration and waste management practices to protect this vital habitat.

The recent event did not turn out to be just a cleanup, though. It became a comprehensive day of environmental education and action. Volunteers did more than just clear trash — they learned, they contributed, they made a difference.

The cleanup proper kicked off bright and early at 6 a.m., with volunteers rigorously scouring the beach to eradicate harmful waste and segregating it for proper disposal. The team conducted the cleanup on the coastal grounds surrounding Alpas, the official hatchery partner of CURMA in Bacnotan, home to one of La Union’s protected sea turtle nesting grounds.

Volunteers removed over 50 sacks of trash and dangerous debris in an hour’s time, including plastic waste, shoes, tires and barbed wire. By keeping this habitat clean for ocean wildlife, baby sea turtles can safely return to the ocean during the hatching season.

Post-cleanup,