Written by College of Marine and Allied Sciences

The College of Marine and Allied Sciences has officially launched the 2024 edition of its long-running extension program, Clean Ocean, now in its third year. This year’s initiative aims to educate and inspire students at all educational levels to take action to preserve marine ecosystems and mitigate plastic pollution.

A collaborative effort, the roadshow is supported by the Department of Education (DepEd) – Naawan District, with full backing from the DepEd Division Office of Misamis Oriental, as solidified through a signed Memorandum of Agreement. The initiative kicked off at MSUN during the university’s General Assembly, where the Clean Ocean team introduced the advocacy to the student body.

Following the launch, the team embarked on a series of educational roadshows at partner schools, including Maputi Elementary School, Linangkayan Elementary School, Naawan Central School, Maputi Senior High School, MSUN – Integrated Developmental School, and Naawan National High School. Through engaging learning sessions, an informative video campaign, and interactive trivia games, the advocacy reached more than 4,500 students.

To extend the reach of its environmental campaign, the team launched a YouTube channel featuring Clean Ocean Roadshow content. During PAGPADAYAG 2024, MSUN’s annual monitoring and evaluation event for extension initiatives, pocket calendars embedded with QR codes linking to the advocacy video were distributed. 

Additional Communication, Education, and Public Awareness (CEPA) materials, including Clean Ocean-themed stickers, notebooks, tote bags, and purses, were also given to participants to further spread the advocacy.

The roadshow concluded with the Clean Ocean Poster Making Contest on October 25, 2024, at the MSUN Function House. Co-organized by the Marine Science Society, the contest gathered participants from partner schools, competing in three categories. Winners received cash prizes and exclusive Clean Ocean CEPA materials, sponsored by MSUN and the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Naawan.

With this year’s roadshow successfully engaging thousands of students and community members, Clean Ocean continues to strengthen its mission of fostering a new generation of environmental stewards dedicated to protecting marine life and advocating for a cleaner, healthier ocean.