OSDS spearheads clean-up drive, launches Project LIMPYO

The Office of Student Development Services (OSDS), in collaboration with the Supreme Student Council and student organizations of Southern Leyte State University, spearheads the coastal clean-up as a kick-off activity of its project, LIMPYO: Local Initiative and Movement of Proactive Youth for the Ocean at San Jose, Sogod, Southern Leyte on May 3, 2023.

Project LIMPYO has been conducted in consonance with Goal 14, Life below Water, of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and to fight plastic pollution in Sogod Bay. “Limpyo” is a local term for “clean” and in the context of the project, there will be a series of coastal clean-up drives on the coastline of Sogod Bay and activities related to environmental conservation and action to eradicate plastic wastes in the area and to safeguard its abundant marine life in order to increase the fish catch of local fishermen living along Sogod Bay.

The project aims to develop student leaders’ social responsibility and sense of accountability in protecting the seas and oceans, improve their leadership skills, and foster a sense of volunteerism in the clean and green initiatives of the university.

“Plastic, no matter how big or small, is detrimental to marine life and to us. What we are doing is a win-win undertaking because while we develop our student leaders, we are also helping our suffering environment and the fishing communities,” Mr. Rey Comabig, OSDS Head, said.

“This project does not end only with the clean-up activity. That was just the beginning and in order for it to be sustainable, we have set a lot of activities to be conducted annually such as awareness campaign on marine conservation, environmental leadership skills training, and mangrove planting,” he added.

During the kick-off event, the team collected a total of five sacks of plastic waste on the shoreline of San Jose. The project started with an in-depth discussion among student leaders on April 26, 2023.

Here are some of the photos of the activity: