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

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Destinations

Underground discovery: From Heathrow, commute using the Underground to reach central London

You arrive in Heathrow, the main airport in London, and – like many tourists – you need to head to the center of London for your accommodation. You have many options, like catching a taxi. But you can just take the “regular” train, the so-called Underground.

Published

20 minutes ago

June 14, 2026

M.D. dela Cruz Tan, MDC

So… you arrive in Heathrow, the main airport in London, and – like many tourists – you need to head to the center of London for your accommodation. There are, of course, a number of transportation options, from grabbing a cab to taking the express train.

There’s an option that isn’t always advertised: that is, for you to just take the “regular” train, the so-called Underground.

Special thanks to Ms Kayla Garcia for this tip, of course.

@outragemag New to #London and traveling from #Heathrow to the city center? No need to overspend via #taxi or #expresstrain; just take the #LGBT #Underground ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine

Una, the underground is, as the name suggests, underground. From the arrival area, follow the signs leading to the “Underground”, which is around five minutes walk from where you’d exit after collecting your luggage.

Ikalawa, be careful: it’s basically on the same area as the Express trains, so if you erroneously entered their area, you’d be forced to spend more.

Ikatlo, yung bayad, nagbabago depending sa exact location you’re going to, and time, too. But naglalaro lang sa 6 pounds pababa… usually. Which is much cheaper than the Express trains by a lot. Add na lang to shopping ang natipid… unless anak ka ng politician na male-maletang pera ang dala mo while undergoing your tax-funded UK education…

And ika-apat, you may buy tickets from those machines at the entrance of the station. But this is London, cashless is usual. Pay using PayWave; tap mo lang credit or debit card mo, keri ka na.

Kung rich ka and money is not a problem… avail ka ng less local mode of transportation, kaya mo yan. But for those who believe commercialization of service sucks, and – in the case of transportation – bettering public transport makes better sense than shelling out cash to make rich people in the transportation industry even richer, then… here’s how many locals travel to and from Heathrow. Huwag na pretentious and avail na…

And off we go for more LGBTQIA+ rampa…

Destinations

Off to Bulacan only to be underwhelmed (and stressed) at The Beef Deli-Malolos

#LGBT checking #steakhouse The Beef Deli-Malolos in #Bulacan, only to be underwhelmed and stressed.

Published

2 weeks ago

June 3, 2026

M.D. dela Cruz Tan, MDC

Now and then we head outside of Metro Manila to check some of the culinary offerings of wherever we end up at. This is why we know that Silang in Cavite has a LOT to offer (even if it may be considered provincial, and even more than, say, Las Piñas that is part of Metro Manila). And this is why we know that Antipolo has 24-hour venues even if Quezon City or the City of Manila “sleeps”.

The intent to discover affordable yet not-bad steaks – in particular – was what led us to The Beef Deli – Malolos, which claims to offer meats “from Australia to your plate” in Bulacan.

@outragemag #LGBT checking #steakhouse The Beef Deli-Malolos in #Bulacan ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine

Una, the place is easy to find naman… particularly for those with private vehicles. It is at the vicinity of the entrance to NLEX lang din, so you can access it if you’re getting off or about to enter the expressway (as we did).

Ikalawa, the venue was masikip, tight. Largely, this was because of not-ideal lay-out that seemed to prioritize being able to accommodate more customers than customer comfort. While there, expect ingay, too; you’re seated too closely to other customers you can eavesdrop.

Ikatlo (and I took this down in my notes, too), the service was REALLY slow. We had to remind the waiters to: set our table (we were seated for a while already), provide us with cutlery, and give us some water. It didn’t help that the two servers who approached us did not know what’s in their menu.

Ika-apat, the food was… hit and miss, with more misses than hits.

The Sweet & Beefy Spaghetti (₱650) was… more sweet, less beefy. Imagine Jollibee’s spaghetti, now make it even sweeter, and you’d get an idea of what was given to us. Particularly since there’s less beef here, and more sausage slices. The accompanying bread also tasted burnt, not grilled.

The Absolutely Meatzza Pizza (₱550) was not just not as meaty (considering its name), but was also too sweet, with a tinapay-like dough.

For the steak, we got the two-for-the-price-of-one Premium Ribeye (₱1,560), cooked MR. Here’s the thing: the steak was okay naman, as it seemed properly seasoned and properly grilled. But when served to us, it was already cold, like it waited in the kitchen. So natulog na ang mantika when served, and slight kadiri na in the mouth.

We didn’t finish the food, so we had them wrapped.

Now, to add drama: when we arrived home, we found that the steak we asked to wrap wasn’t in the take-home bag. I, personally, was annoyed; we didn’t exactly have a good experience there, and then… they didn’t even pack what we already paid.

I contacted the number of the company that’s listed online, and – this is a great part – I received a proper response. I was told that, after some tracing, the leftover food was found. I was also told that, without charging me, they will have the leftover delivered to us the next day.

Yes, after reheating the leftover steak, they had it delivered to us… without charging us (as if I should be thankful for that, LOL). And NOT that I was expecting anything else, but the meat was all they sent; overcooked (due to reheating) stale steak that we didn’t get to enjoy anymore because of The Beef Deli – Malolos. No apology for the bad experience via some kind of compensation like… a serving of French fries man lang.

The place is okay-appearing naman, TBH. But Bulacan has a lot of venues to check, so we’re giving this a hard pass for revisiting na muna. And so off we go in search of more lafangan venues…

The Beef Deli – Malolos is located at G/F Unit 7-10, Andan Enterprises, Inc, 3598 MacArthur Hwy, Malolos, 3000 Bulacan Province. For more information, contact 0905 283 8461 or email beefdelimalolos@gmail.com.

Destinations

Checking the historic Charlie wanton resto in Mandaluyong

For those craving noodle soups, tambak ang options in Metro Manila. But one of the old faves is Charlie Wanton Special in Mandaluyong City. We #LGBT checked if it’s worth visiting.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 29, 2026

M.D. dela Cruz Tan, MDC

For those craving noodle soups, tambak ang options natin, truth be told. From David’s to Noodle Park to Wann Mann to Tim Ho Wan… the options are now endless. But – let this be said – the olden ones continue to charm. And among these is Charlie Wanton Special in Mandaluyong City.

When driving from Sta. Ana in the City of Manila to Greenhills in San Juan City, we always pass by this resto in Mandaluyong City that was established in 1958, though the original location was in Florentino Torres Street in Santa Cruz, Manila. That it is widely known is an understatement – e.g. good luck getting a table if you go there during rush hour (usually during lunch, or early dinner).

Anyway, we headed there when an opportunity presented itself. And… how was Charlie for us?

@outragemag #Wanton with nostalgia at #charliewantonspecial in #Mandaluyong during this #LGBT ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine

Una, the place is in the middle of nowhere… in a manner of speaking. It is one of an extremely small number of restos in a long road that’s mostly residential, and there’s no public transportation there. But – exactly because the resto is known – it isn’t hard to find, as it’s very Google-able and Waze-able.

Ikalawa, the place is – in a word – unpretentious. Don’t expect fancy when there. The place is “divided” into sections – i.e. the glass-enclosed kitchen where the noodles are being made (you can watch the making, by the way); the dining area (which can accommodate over 70 pax); and the small events place. You get old wooden furniture, old cutlery, aged plates, and so on.

Ikatlo, the workers looked haggard when we were there… though this may be because they’re overwhelmed with the number of customers. I’d say don’t expect to be given special attention; this place is an order-eat-pay-go venue.

Ika-apat, how’s the food?

As served, the Chicken Mami (₱235) and the Beef Wanton Mami (₱305) looked abundant. We received extra bowls of sabaw, which were necessary because the noodles per bowl were a lot. Oh… the chicken sabaw was thicker, while the beef sabaw tasted like humba, complete with that star anise taste.

We had concerns taste-wise:

the beef strips were soft, yes, but the mami with the beef didn’t taste beefy at all;
the wanton in the same mami was okay-tasting, but didn’t taste fresh; and
the chicken strips weren’t malansa, but the mami with the chicken was tasteless.

The Bola-bola Siopao (₱130 for special) was aesthetically nice to look at, mainly because of its size. Sadly, that’s that. Taste-wise, it was weird. The dough was dry, and the meat was, aside from also being dry, had a malansa taste. It was hard to finish, sorry.

For the Siomai (₱120), we got three gigantic pieces. It was forgettable, but – after the siopao – at least the meat used here didn’t taste malansa.

Many people come, and will continue to head to Charlie. No surprise there since this can be a comfort zone for some. Kami, however, we don’t believe nostalgia alone makes any place deserving of being blindly supported. And so off we go in search of more lafangan venues…

Charlie Wanton Special is located at 265 Haig St. Daang Bakal, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila. For more information, contact (02) 7718 1880.