Through the leadership of Xavier alumni, the famous white sand beach of Boracay was kept clean during the peak summer holiday season last May. Conceptualized and implemented by Edmund Li of Batch 82 (top left), representing Oishi (Liwayway Marketing Corporation), and supported by Patrick Tan (‘82) of Seair (VP Commercial), the project mobilized hundreds of guests and locals to comb the beach for trash, an effort that also promoted an anti-littering awareness among the people vacationing and living on the island.

Through the cooperation of Boracay Foundation Inc., the organizers were able to gather volunteers from among the tourists on vacation during the campaign period. Under the supervision of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary 609, the clean-up drive was launched May 11, with two groups starting on opposite ends of the island. There were two time shifts for the clean-up drive, 8-10 AM and 4-6 PM. Each group would collect the litter found along the beach and place them into garbage bags segregated in accordance with the island’s regulations on segregation.

On weekdays, the clean-up crew would fill up an average of eight garbage bags going up to 10 on weekends. The other vacationers who were not able to volunteer shared in the spirit of the campaign by voluntarily depositing their trash. This campaign ended on May 31. Congratulations to the Xavier alumni organizers for taking a lead role in helping keep Boracay clean for tourists and for promoting greater awareness for the environment.