U-Freight Philippines, Inc. sponsors clean up drive at Olango Island

U-Freight Philippines, Inc. together with Cathay Pacific Airways sponsored the coastal clean up of Olango Island in Lapu-Lapu City on May 9, 2009. The Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary (OIWS) is a popular and important bird sanctuary site in the Philippines. It is known as a major refueling station as well as a wintering ground for migrating birds on the way to Australia and New Zealand.
 
Participants from the Visayas Airport Services Corp., Transglobal Logistics, Nippon Express, DHL Global including The Freeman Daily and Cebu Daily News met at the Cowrie Cove of the Cebu Shangrila Hotel. Mr. Benjamin Zeta, President of IWMI and Mr. June Tacocong, Station Manager of U-Freight & Cargohaus, also joined the said activity.
 
From the port, the group took a 30-minute pump boat ride to Olango Bird Sanctuary Station. Ocean care advocates shared their inputs on how to protect and preserve the environment.
 

 
“Olango Island hosts 10 barangays. Its bird sanctuary, covering an area of about 1,028 hectares, is a natural magnet for both foreign and domestic tourists. The island is the country's first wetland of international importance for waterfowl. From September to November, thousands of shorebirds migrate to Olango and further south to Australia and New Zealand after breeding in China, Russia and Alaska following the East Asian-Australian Flyaway. After winter, from March to May, the migratory birds fly again northward via Olango en route to their original breeding areas.” Mr. Reggie Bueno of DENR said during the briefing.
 
After the briefing, the participants were all ready to sweat for the coastal clean up. The participants took another 20-minute drive to the Olango Fish Sanctuary and enjoyed a one and a half hour swimming. From the fish sanctuary, the group left to Cauhagan Island to share the sumptuous food for lunch. Indeed, the whole activity will not be complete without swimming & snorkeling in the blue & clean water of the Olango Island.

Written by:
Noreen S. Merueña
Corporate Human Capital Management Dept.