Coast Guard Bicol launches “Basura Mo, Sagip Buhay Ko”

Sorsogon City (14 October) — The Coast Guard District Bicol (CGDBCL), as part of its continuing commitment to prevent maritime incidents and save lives, had launched recently the “Basura Mo, Sagip Buhay Ko” project in this city.

Lt.JG Jose Ronnie T. Ong, newly installed Coast Guard Sorsogon City Station Commander, said that the project launching was successfully realized with a pilot distribution of improvised life saving device to at least eight marginalized fisher folks.

Ong said that aside from the first eight recipients, another six fishermen will benefit for their next round of distribution targeting an initial fourteen beneficiaries before October ends.

“This is a very simple project but can save lives of people particularly the fisher folks who do not have the capacity of buying commercially available life saving equipment such as life jacket due to monetary constrain,” he said.

“Also, with the flooding that happens everywhere now in the country, life saving equipment is a must to every residents particularly those living in low-lying or easily flooded areas for their own survival,” he added.

Ong bared that the success and the positive feedback of the community during the initial distribution in this city has challenged them to produce more life saving device for the many who need it most.

According to him, the initial distribution did not only manifest the PCG and private entities’ cooperation to produce an efficient and less expensive cost of a life saving device for the people, but also taught the community of the importance and value of self reliance, instilling in them the value that not all things are to be bought.

“In a way, CGDBCL had given them an idea and taught them to be self sufficient in fabricating their own life saving device through the samples we had distributed utilizing “basura” or waste materials,” Ong further said.

It can be noted that’Basura Mo, Sagip Buhay Ko”, conceptualized by PCG Bicol Region District Commander Capt. Elson E. Hermogino, was launched as a project on August 9, 2009, initially requesting the region’s chain of restaurants, food manufacturers, and chemical companies to donate empty 4 liter gallon size plastic containers for the project’s kick off activities.

The project’s goal is to fabricate an improvised life saving device made of 2 empty plastic galloon (1 gal. capacity size), 1 empty galloon (1 liter capacity size), 1 ½ meter length (3/4″ diameter) nylon rope, bolt and nut (size 5/16 x 3/4), 2 pcs, washer, marine epoxy adhesive and orange color paint to be distributed to the fisher folks in the region to address survivability at sea and much more to save lives during any maritime disaster.

“Much more, this initiative is also a response to the Solid Waste Management Program implemented by the national government,” said Ong. (BARecebido, with reports from RTOng, PCG/PIA)