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May 22, 2026 / Earth Island Institute Philippines
Environmental protection begins when people choose to act.
Environmental protection begins when people choose to act.
Throughout Earth Month 2026, Earth Island Institute Asia-Pacific (EII-AP) brought together volunteers, grassroots communities, students, and partner organizations in a month-long campaign for environmental education, coastal protection, and collective action.
A series of webinars, forums, environmental discussions, and coastal clean-up activities were conducted in collaboration with schools, grassroots organizations, youth advocates, fisherfolk groups, bikers, and environmental defenders from different parts of the Philippines. The campaign became an opportunity to strengthen partnerships, encourage environmental participation among young people, and deepen discussions on environmental justice, sustainability, marine protection, and grassroots action.
EnviSkwela ConverSessions
EnviSkwela ConverSessions
The campaign formally opened on April 11 through the EnviSkwela ConverSession 2026 in partnership with the Philippine Normal University – Center for Transformative Education, together with student environmental organizations PNU Luntian, PNU GAIA, and PNU Geografika.
The webinar gathered participants from schools, organizations, and communities nationwide to discuss the current state of environmental education in the Philippines. Discussions highlighted the importance of community-based environmental education, grassroots organizing, and transforming environmental awareness into concrete action.
Participants emphasized the need for environmental education that is localized, people-centered, and action-oriented.
EnviSkwela Webinar on Environmental and Livelihood Impacts of Reclamation:
EnviSkwela Webinar on Environmental and Livelihood Impacts of Reclamation:
On April 15, 2026, EII-AP, together with PAMALAKAYA, conducted a webinar discussing the environmental and livelihood impacts of reclamation projects in the country. The discussion highlighted how reclamation affects coastal ecosystems, fisherfolk livelihoods, food security, and disaster risks in vulnerable communities.
Participants described the webinar as an eye-opener that connected environmental destruction with social justice and community welfare while encouraging critical discussions on large-scale “development” projects and their long-term impacts on people and ecosystems.
EnviSkwela Earth Day Coastal Clean Up Activity:
EnviSkwela Earth Day Coastal Clean Up Activity:
One of the major highlights of the campaign was the Earth Day Coastal Clean-up conducted on April 19 at the Las Piñas–Parañaque Wetland Park. The activity brought together volunteers, students, bikers, environmental advocates, and private companies in a collective effort to address marine plastic pollution.
The clean-up was conducted in partnership with DENR-LPPWP, Firefly Brigade, Unli-Sulong Bikers’ Unite, KODAO Productions, and private companies such as COTECNA, TGT Global, and Resolve Global Logistics Corp., which helped mobilize participants and amplify awareness on marine waste and coastal protection.
Around 200 participants joined the activity, many of whom were participating in a coastal clean-up for the first time. A total of 151 sacks equivalent to 495 kilograms of waste were collected, including single-use plastics, PET bottles, styrofoam, rubber, and other debris commonly found along coastal areas.
Beyond the clean-up itself, the activity became a meaningful experience for many volunteers, who reflected on the importance of collective action and responsible waste management in everyday life.
The clean-up also generated media coverage from 12 media outfits, including Rappler, Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Manila Times, Daily Tribune, and KODAO Productions, and was featured across 25 platforms. The coverage helped amplify calls against marine plastic pollution and strengthened public awareness of environmental issues affecting coastal communities and marine ecosystems.
EnviSkwela Earth Day 2026 Celebration:
EnviSkwela Earth Day 2026 Celebration:
On April 22, the Earth Month campaign culminated through the EnviSkwela Earth Day 2026 Celebration held at the College of Social Work and Community Development in partnership with PAMALAKAYA, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), Anakdagat, and Payao Network.
The activity utilized a “World Café” format that encouraged more than 70 participants to discuss environmental issues based on their own community experiences. Students and community members were able to directly interact with fisherfolk representatives from Navotas and Cavite, creating grounded discussions on environmental justice, waste management, coastal protection, and people-centered advocacy.
EnviSkwela Webinar on Irrawaddy Dolphin Conservation in Western Visayas:
EnviSkwela Webinar on Irrawaddy Dolphin Conservation in Western Visayas:
The Earth Month campaign concluded on April 25 through the EnviSkwela Webinar on Irrawaddy Dolphin Conservation in Western Visayas. The webinar focused on the critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphin population in the Iloilo-Guimaras Straits, where only around 10–13 individuals are believed to remain.
Discussions centered on marine biodiversity conservation, habitat destruction, marine pollution, and the importance of science-based and community-driven conservation efforts. Participants described the webinar as informative and eye-opening, especially for those joining marine conservation discussions for the first time.
Continuing the EnviSkwela Movement for Environmental Action:
Continuing the EnviSkwela Movement for Environmental Action:
Overall, Earth Month 2026 became a meaningful platform for environmental education, grassroots engagement, volunteerism, and collective action.
The campaign strengthened partnerships with schools, organizations, grassroots communities, media institutions, volunteers, and environmental advocates while encouraging greater participation from students and first-time environmental defenders.
More than a celebration, Earth Month 2026 became a movement of people choosing to protect the environment together. Across every webinar, coastal clean-up, and environmental discussion, participants were reminded that environmental issues are not distant problems — they directly affect communities, livelihoods, ecosystems, and future generations.
As environmental crises continue to threaten both people and nature, the need for continued awareness campaigns, environmental education, grassroots organizing, and collective action becomes even more urgent. Awareness is only the beginning. Action is what creates change.
The environment is protected not by one organization alone, but by communities choosing to act together.
Together, let us continue turning awareness into action and strengthening the movement for environmental protection and environmental justice.
Para sa kalikasan, para sa mamamayan.
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