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On the morning of November 23, the sun rose over the Lighthouse Marina in Subic, Zambales, casting a golden shimmer across the waves and the sand. A warm breeze carried the tang of salt and seaweed, but it also carried a sense of urgency. Students from Pampanga, Manila, and neighboring provinces arrived, gloves in hand, sacks ready, tongs and sunscreen at the ready. They were not there for a leisurely stroll along the shoreline. They were there to face an uncomfortable truth buried beneath the sand and to take action. This was Tide Up: Coastal Clean-Up 2025, a one-day environmental initiative spearheaded by AIESEC in UP-Clark, co-presented by Muovere Veloce Consultancy, Inc. and Lighthouse Marina Resort, with support from partner schools and organizations. For many of the volunteers, the event quickly became more than a cleanup. It was an awakening.

Tide Up was designed as more than a symbolic gesture. Aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water, it combined hands-on waste collection with discussions on sustainability, community education, and practical steps for environmental responsibility. “We make sure that all our initiatives are aligned to the SDGs,” explained Keesha Mina, Vice President for Project Management of AIESEC in UP-Clark. “This event isn’t just for photos or performance. We didn’t want a band-aid solution. The output we wanted was awareness, habits that people can integrate into their daily lives.”

The choice of Subic for the event was deliberate. While the AIESEC youth networks are rooted in Pampanga, the province itself has limited access to coastal areas. Subic, with its scenic beaches and bustling marina, presented the perfect site for reflection and action. “Subic isn’t the cleanest,” Keesha added. “We wanted people to see that firsthand, to really understand the impact of waste on coastal environments.” The site offered a vivid lesson in the state of local marine ecosystems, serving as a stark reminder that environmental care is ongoing, not a one-day activity.

Small groups fanned out across the shoreline, each armed with gloves, sacks, and determination. Many expected bottles, wrappers, and tin cans. Few were prepared for the depth of what they would encounter. Danelle Montemayor, a first-year student from UP-Clark, shared how eye-opening the experience was. “It’s been really fulfilling. Ang dami naming nakuha. And that’s just one part of the shore. What more kung mas malawak pa? Doon mo talaga marerealize how important this event is.”

The findings were startling. Volunteers uncovered large, deeply buried debris, from plastic hardened by years in the sun and sea to rubber tires encrusted with barnacles. Even Meredith Montemayor of AIESEC UP-Clark expressed her concern. “We dug up one big carton pa lang and we were already worried,” she said. “What about everything else buried under the sand? Ang dami pa.” At times, teams had to coordinate like construction crews, counting aloud, pulling debris together, and slipping in the sand while trying to dislodge heavy, waterlogged trash. “Kami, dalawa kami humihila,” I told them during the interview. “1, 2, 3, pull! Grabe yung naka-bury sa ilalim.”

What made the day even more striking was the age of some of the objects. Barnacles, layers of sediment, and hardened plastics hinted that some of this trash had been accumulating for years. It wasn’t just litter. It was the history of human neglect, waiting quietly beneath the shore. For many, it was a visceral lesson in the long-term impact of careless waste disposal.

Coordinating an event of this scale, with over a hundred volunteers from multiple universities and organizations, was no small feat. Transportation, safety, logistics, and inter-school coordination presented significant challenges. “One of the biggest difficulties was transportation,” Meredith admitted. “Subic isn’t the most accessible. Mahirap mag-commute. That’s why we arranged group transportation so delegates wouldn’t struggle.”

Planning for Tide Up began months in advance. By August, the organizers were already sketching the framework, while September brought detailed coordination and partner engagement. “It was hard,” Keesha explained. “There was a tug-of-war between needing more partners and making sure everything was intentional. But my team believed in the event and its cause. Everything snowballed from there.”

As a representative of Holy Angel University, I shared that our participation was entirely volunteer-driven. We pooled personal resources, traveled early, and contributed without school funding, driven by a desire to be part of the initiative. “We were proud to be here,” I told Keesha. “Hindi palagi may ganitong chance.” She smiled, acknowledging the dedication. “I’m glad. And I’m proud of everyone who made the effort.”

Despite the intense heat, delegates remained energized. Many were eager to engage in post-cleanup activities, bingo-card tasks, and team interactions. “We want to fulfill our tasks and interact more,” Danelle said. These structured activities reinforced environmental awareness and the concept that sustainable action doesn’t end when the bags are full. Keesha stressed the importance of translating this one-day experience into long-term habits. “From segregation to mindful consumption, small habits can trickle outward to communities,” she said.

Volunteers discovered not only the environmental challenges of the beach but also the value of teamwork and collaboration. Groups coordinated with precision, laughed over missteps, and encouraged one another when tasks became physically demanding. Pulling a heavy, waterlogged tire or unearthing a deeply buried crate became moments of shared accomplishment. “It’s hard, yes, but also fulfilling,” said Meredith. “You realize the scale of the problem, but also the power of collective action.”

In just a few hours, hundreds of volunteers collected countless sacks of trash, visibly transforming the shoreline. But the impact of Tide Up wasn’t measured in kilograms alone. It was evident in the conversations sparked, the perspectives shifted, and the sense of responsibility instilled in everyone present. For many city-based students, the experience provided a stark contrast to their usual environment, revealing the realities of coastal communities and the fragility of marine ecosystems. “It was eye-opening for many of them, and they left inspired to act,” I observed, noting their reactions as we spoke throughout the day.

The day was more than physical labor. Organizers provided briefings on SDG 14, practical tips for sustainable living, and guidance on integrating environmental care into everyday routines. Delegates were encouraged to carry the lessons home, spreading awareness in their schools and communities. “We want this to be more than a one-day activity,” Keesha said. “We want awareness to ripple outward, like the tide itself.”

By afternoon, the shoreline glimmered less with debris and more with a sense of accomplishment. The volunteers’ efforts had a tangible impact, but the deeper change was in mindset. Tide Up had reminded everyone that environmental protection is a daily responsibility, not a momentary gesture. Every piece of trash removed, every conversation about sustainability, every new connection forged between students from different universities became part of a growing wave of awareness.

For participants, the experience was also profoundly human. Interacting with students from different universities, each bringing unique perspectives and energy, added a sense of unity to the effort. In most events, universities tended to operate within their own bubbles, rarely crossing paths with others. But here, students from different schools worked side by side, coordinating and encouraging one another. The shared effort and camaraderie highlighted the power of collaboration, leaving a lasting impression that this kind of united action could become a recurring tradition.

As the sun climbed higher, volunteers packed up their tools, shared smiles, and reflected on the day’s work. While the cleanup was complete, the real journey had just begun, an ongoing commitment to the oceans, to sustainable habits, and to community engagement. Tide Up: Coastal Clean Up 2025 had done more than clear a shoreline. It had turned awareness into action, labor into lessons, and participants into advocates for the planet.

By the end of the day, one truth was undeniable. Tide Up wasn’t just a cleanup. It was the start of a movement. A movement that proves small, deliberate actions, multiplied by hundreds of committed individuals, can truly create waves of change. From the sands of Subic to communities across the region, this day showed that caring for the oceans isn’t a choice. It’s a responsibility, one that each of us carries forward, one piece of trash, one action, and one volunteer at a time.

by Calvin Ochoco