Travel

Pure Oceans: Protecting our seas from plastic

Around 30 people from the local barangays of Tingloy, plus a contingent from the Philippine Coast Guard, have gathered along the shores of Barangay Marikaban to retrieve sachets, plastic bottles, bottle caps, ropes and anything that doesn’t naturally belong here.

Published

1 year ago

May 11, 2025

Contributing Writer

By Gregg Yan

Tingloy, Batangas – This beach is pretty remote, but somehow, it’s still covered in trash.

Mixed in with the usual influx of driftwood and seaweed are countless sachets, plastic bottles and toys – ranging from lightsabers to creepy doll heads.

“We’ll conduct a closed loop cleanup today,” Tak Vergara of Pure Oceans explains to gathered volunteers. “You’ll each be given a mesh sack, to be filled with just one type of trash. Once done, we’ll send our sacks to proper endpoints like junkshops and recyclers. Let’s please move before the morning sun gets too hot.”

Like everyone, I’ve been given a red mesh sack and assigned to pick up every plastic or foil sachet I see. I don’t have to look hard – the little suckers are literally coating every meter of this beach.

**Plastic in Our Seas.** A plastic cola bottle silently sways along with sea anemones, sponges and seaweeds in the Verde Island Passage. Though home to more shorefish species than any other place on Earth, Tingloy and the Verde Passage have become a garbage trap for plastics flowing out of the nearby province of Batangas. **(Mark Carunungan)**

The Problem of Plastic

Plastics revolutionized the world: they’re inexpensive, durable, nonporous, lightweight and have a million uses. They’re so tough that most will never be fully broken down by nature. Instead, they’ll photodegrade into tiny particles called microplastics. It takes some 400 years – around 13 human generations – for this to happen.

The problem is that too many plastics are designed to be used only once. Many of the world’s third-world economies are built on a tingi-tingi culture where daily needs are bought on daily wages.

Single-use plastics like sachets, sando bags, straws, diapers and bottles account for half the plastics made today.

A report from the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) released in 2019 revealed that Pinoys used 163 million plastic sachets, 48 million sando bags and 45 million labo bags daily. The World Bank in turn estimated that the country generated 2.7 million tons of plastic waste yearly, 20% of which ends up in our oceans.

**Never Ending Task.** A volunteer fills a mesh sack with plastic and foil sachets. “Coastal cleanups aren’t long-term solutions, but are emergency measures to directly protect the coral reefs that surround our islands. Coral reefs aren’t just great dive sites – they sustain the livelihoods of people,” explains Pure Oceans Founder Pia Roxas Ocampo. **(Gregg Yan / Pure Oceans)**

Global studies about plastics gauged that humanity has produced 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic, 75% or 6.3 billion metric tons of which have become plastic waste. There’s so much of it that scientists have proposed this era to officially be termed the Anthropocene, a slice of time marked on the fossil record not by fossilized bones, but nonbiodegradable plastic.

Our oceans can only absorb so much. Sea turtles and whales now mistake translucent plastic bags for jellyfish, while pelagic fish swallow gleaming microplastics mistaken for plankton. Distant islands – from icebergs in the Arctic to uninhabited sandbars in the Pacific – are plastic-ridden. Even the most remote part of our planet, the Mariana Trench at over 10 kilometers deep, is littered with yesteryear’s grocery bags.

“We cannot keep ignoring the plastic problem, especially here in Tingloy,” says Pia Roxas Ocampo, founder of Pure Oceans, a marine conservation social enterprise. The Philippines is part of the Coral Triangle, where marine diversity levels are unparalleled. The Verde Island Passage, which includes Tingloy, has long been hailed as the epicenter for marine shorefish diversity.

**Real Handful.** Colorful sachets from various corporations line the shores of Marikaban Island in Batangas. Among the best solutions to reduce marine plastics is for companies to deepen extended producer responsibility, properly addressing the disposal of their products even after being bought and used. **(Gregg Yan / Pure Oceans)**

Threat to Marine Biodiversity

Since 2018, Pure Oceans has been working with local communities in Tingloy to recover plastic profitably. “In truth, coastal cleanups like this aren’t long-term solutions,” adds Pia, picking up trash along with everyone. “These are simply emergency measures to protect the coral reefs that surround this island. These reefs aren’t just great dive sites – they sustain the livelihoods of people here.”

Plastics, whether whole or broken down into microplastics, threaten marine diversity. It’s not uncommon to see old fishing nets snagged onto coral heads, or undigested plastic in the guts of the seafood we eat.

“Microplastics concentrate and encapsulate pollutants. They’re dangerous when ingested by fish or other animals,” explains Dr. Wilfredo Licuanan, a coral expert and University Fellow at De La Salle University. “Plastics don’t just smother corals either. They can cause injuries, which increases the likelihood of corals getting sick.”

For the past seven years, Pure Oceans has been working with public and private sector partners – from the municipal government to corporations and local communities – to develop practical ways to collect and divert plastic away from coral reefs.

“We’re known as the MRF Angels because we buy hand-washed plastic and foil strips from selected participants at PHP20 per kilogram,” shares Princess Aldovino, busily filling up her sack with little plastic bottle-caps. “Tons of plastic and foil have been brought to our MRF or Materials Recovery Facility and they are used as ‘pluffing’ or ‘plastic-stuffing’ for various products locally made in Tingloy. We support several senior citizens who help convert trash into useful raw materials.”

After an hour’s work and with my mesh bag finally bursting with sachets (my wife Ngoc collected even more sachets than me), I trudge back to our collection point. Tak and Lai Manalo from Pure Oceans measure the morning’s haul: nearly 175 kilos of plastic waste, among them a cellphone, a syringe, a rubber duckie, gambling dice and some truly scary plastic dolls.

**Morning Briefing.** Pure Oceans Communicator Tak Vergara briefs coastal cleanup participants on the importance of proper waste segregation. **(Gregg Yan / Pure Oceans)**

Soon we visit Caban Cove, a popular dive site. Diving here decades ago, I vividly recall having lunch in a spotless white sand beach. Now, it is covered end-to-end with broken branches, coconut husks and you guessed it, plastic. Pia and I carefully examine the debris.

“Coastal cleanups help, but each day will deposit a brand-new layer of trash. With the local community of Tingloy, we’ve developed and tested solutions to help other islands address the plastic problem,” she explains.

“We’re working on all aspects of the garbage lifecycle – from implementing corporations’ extender producer responsibility, CSR projects, developing waste management systems with local governments, environmental education for schools, plus physical cleanups along our coasts. After seven years of learning, we’re ready to replicate our solutions nationwide – but we need more partners.”

We pick through more layers of refuse. I dig out a twisted piece of seaglass, keeping it as a reminder that some things just don’t belong in the big blue. “For many Pinoys, conserving the oceans starts at home. Thinking before buying and properly segregating our waste might just prevent trash from ending up here,” gestures Pia.

We leave the area after a day’s work. Though spiritually satisfied, we barely made a dent in the tidal wave of plastics assailing the quiet island paradise. Despite this, it’s still rung with corals, still teeming with fish.

Two hundred million metric tons of single-use plastics will be produced this year, equivalent to 10 million fully-loaded dump trucks.

How many tons will end up at sea? How many new layers of trash will be added to the beaches of Tingloy and the world’s other islands?

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Contributing Writer

Believing that everyone's perspective is important, Zest Magazine has opted to provide an avenue for these perspectives to be known. care to hear the publication's contributing writers; or better yet, do some contributing yourself by contacting info@zestmag.com.

Destinations

Checking the café vibe of Filipino-ish Yellow Bird resto

#Breakfast-hunting in #Antipolo led us to #YellowBird #restaurant that offers #Filipinofood, Italian dishes, #cafe goodies, atbp. But… is it worth checking out?

Published

1 week ago

May 17, 2026

M.D. dela Cruz Tan, MDC

Antipolo has, particularly lately, been trying to make a name as a must-check place for foodies. If most places in Metro Manila close at night, Antipolo has 24-hour venues that boast not just not-bad food, but views of cities of Metro Manila as they succumb to darkness.

So one morning, after a night shift, we decided to grab something at any of their breakfast nooks… which was how we ended up at Yellow Bird Café X Kitchen.

@outragemag #Breakfast-hunting in #Antipolo led us to #YellowBird #restaurant that offers #Filipinofood, Italian dishes, #cafe ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine

Una, the place isn’t hard to find for those with private vehicles; Google Maps or Waze will lead you there easily. But noticeably, we didn’t notice public transportation during our visit.

Ikalawa, the actual place was… airy, thanks to the glass walls/windows. But while this may also be a steakhouse/Filipino restaurant/Italian-ish restaurant/and so on, look-wise, it’s more a café that happens to serve some food. Rustic also came to mind, thanks to those dried flowers everywhere…

Ikatlo, the staff’s deadma; no one was friendly enough to stick to mind. They just tell you where to sit, take your order, deliver your food or drinks, then… kebs na. No small chitchats on what’s good or not, or whatever.

Ika-apat, how was the food?

The ₱140 Americano was… forgettable. Mag-tubig ka na lang while waiting for your food.
The Sinigang na Baka (₱525) was actually a surprise – that is, this isn’t your typical sinigang, Using kamatis (tomato) instead of bayabas (guava) or sampalok (tamarind) or miso, the broth was tasty without being overpowering. Yes, the meat could have been softer/more tender, but at least it wasn’t chewy. And the serving could have been bigger, considering the asking price. But yes, this one’s worth checking out.
The Munggo & Chicharon (₱295) wasn’t bad at all… but there’s nothing special about this as it’s no different from the munggo (beans) that you’d get from some carinderia.

That sinigang may have been a pleasant surprise (and this is even if the meat needed more time to boil), but I doubt that’s enough to lure us to head back anytime soon. This isn’t a bad place at all, but when in Antipolo, a place that has more food venues to discover, we – or you – may as well check others…

So off we go, as we search for more lafangan venues.

Yellow Bird Café X Kitchen is located at Blk 2, Mission Hills Blvd, Antipolo, 1870 Rizal Province.

Destinations

Checking Cavite’s Lolo Claro’s

It claims to sell over 400 pieces of #friedchicken per day, so Lolo Claro’s must be good, no? We checked the former mami house turned restaurant in #Cavite during a quick #LGBT wandering.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 26, 2026

M.D. dela Cruz Tan, MDC

So… if a resto claims to sell as many as 400 fried chickens a day, you’re bound to think that what they have may be really good. So we checked Lolo Claro’s Restaurant in Cavite City, one of those restos that can claim that it was built by, yep, friend chicken.

How was Lolo Claro’s Restaurant for us?

@outragemag It claims to sell over 400 pcs of #friedchicken per day, so #LoloClaros in #Cavite must be good, no? We #LGBT checked this former #mami house turned #restaurant ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine

Una, as background, this place is somewhat historical. Started over 25 years ago by Bernie Ilagan in honor of his late kutsero (horse carriage driver) grandfather, it used to just be a food stall that sold mami, among others, but eventually grew to have multiple branches.

Ikalawa, the branch we visited was easy to find, as it’s along a major road in Cavite City. Yeah, public transport passed the area. And there’s ample open-air parking for those with private vehicles.

Ikatlo, the resto is luma (antiquated). This should also serve as a warning since there, tabletops are peeling, corners are soiled, walls have who-knows-what prints, and so on. The squeamish may say it borders on… dirty, and they won’t be completely wrong.

Ika-apat, the staff was perfunctory – e.g. you have to pester them to clean a table for you, or follow-up an order, et cetera.

Ikalima, how were the offerings?

Claro’s Fried Chicken (₱275 for half, ₱475 for whole) was similar to Max’s chicken – e.g. not that big and not over-fried, but not that tasty and quite dry.
The chopsuey (₱290) was… peculiar. Think deconstructed, and you’d have an idea of their version – i.e. the veggies were steamed or boiled, and the sauce was just poured on top before serving. Good for those who just like steamed veggies; but for those who want chopsuey the traditional way, this isn’t gonna please you.
The kare-kare (₱360) needed more oomph; kulang sa lasa. But at least you get enough laman, from the meat slices to the veggies. And yeah, the bagoong (shrimp paste) was good… even if they didn’t serve a lot.

Lolo Claro’s Restaurant was packed when we visited; we actually had to wait for a table to be vacated before we could eat. So this is a popular resto, indeed. I can’t, and won’t, justify this; to each his own. But we have reservations… with the venue, the staff, the food… And so off we go in search of more lafangan venues…

Lolo Claro’s Restaurant is located at Governor’s Drive corner Naic Indang Road, Cavite City.

Destinations

Coffee-craving with rice meals on the side at Foam Coffee

The search for a good cup of coffee is what led us to Foam Coffee, which – it must be pointed out – is more of a resto than a café.

Published

1 month ago

April 14, 2026

M.D. dela Cruz Tan, MDC

Baguio City has always been a must-visit place for foodies, thanks to the many culinary offerings from the Cordillera region (think pinikpikan, etag and binaod, among others). But – whether you agree with us or not, particularly since you may know some venues we don’t – one of the biggest challenges we encountered was looking for good kape.

The search for a good cup of coffee is what led us to Foam Coffee, which – it must be pointed out – is more of a resto than a café.

So, how was our visit to Foam Coffee?

@outragemag Looking for #kape in #FoamCoffee in #Baguio, only to end up eating not-cheap #ricemeals ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine

Una, this is easy to locate, as it’s right across the city hall of Baguio.

Ikalawa, the place itself is sterile-looking. Yep, maaliwalas siya (it’s airy), newly-furnished, is clean, and so on. But when we were there, it also felt quite impersonal, and didn’t feel like a community café or something.

Ikatlo, this is a self-service and CLAYGO (clean as you go) venue. Meaning, you won’t really engage with the staff as they’re there just to take and then give you your order, and then clean up after you if you failed to follow the CLAYGO policy. This adds to the making of this place as impersonal.

And ika-apat, how were the offerings?

So… the original intent was to grab coffee since this was repeatedly highly ranked by reviewers. Alas, the ₱120 Americano was, to start, not even that warm anymore when served. And taste-wise, it was almost like it was watered down.

The rice meals that we ended up also trying were actually not bad. The ₱230 Orange Chicken (orange-glazed chicken with rice) tasted… orangey, sweetish and yet citrusy. The ₱270 Bulgogi Tapa (thinly sliced Korean beef that’s marinated in sweet and salty soy in garlic butter, with rice and eggs), meanwhile, was sweet and savory. The rice in both dishes was good, too; flavorful so that even sans the toppings, already a meal.

For us, if there’s one issue with the rice meals, it’s the size of the servings. Particularly the ulam (viand). You will not get a lot. Which, for us, makes this place a somewhat pricey silog-like venue.

Foam Coffee has a market – e.g. check those who study while there. This is understandable even with the place’s limits. But we’re off elsewhere… perhaps in search of good coffee, as businesses should have if they use the word in their business name.

So off we go in search of more lafangan venues…

Foam Coffee is located at Upper G/F Travelite Hotel, Shuntug St., Baguio City. For more information, contact 0977 602 3750.