Burgos Community Steps Up for Clean Water and Coastal Protection
APRIL 3, 2025
In Burgos, Siargao, clean water access is a growing concern as climate change and pollution impact communities and natural sources. For World Water Day, Action Against Hunger and UNICEF, supported by New Zealand, led a coastal clean-up and community education drive promoting climate-resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). Locals cleared five kilometers of shoreline, collecting 17 sacks of mostly plastic waste—highlighting the threat to marine life and freshwater supplies.
Part of the “Typhoon Odette Recovery and Rehabilitation Towards Climate-Resilient Programme,” the initiative builds on earlier efforts, with 42 sacks gathered in under a month. Wendie Gonia, Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer, stressed the need for lasting change to protect Siargao’s ecosystems. As a designated Protected Landscape and Seascape, the island needs stronger waste management and ongoing community action to ensure clean water access and environmental health.
