LAKBAYON PROJECT

The Lakbayon Project, founded in 2001 by Zenaida in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, is a women-led volunteer initiative focused on coastal cleanup and environmental conservation. It operates in Barangays 2, 4, and 5, engaging single mothers, students, senior citizens, and fisherfolk families to maintain clean beaches while promoting ecological solid waste management. The project has transformed Poblacion Beach into a thriving tourist destination, supporting local incomes, generating employment, and contributing to the city’s economic growth. By 2023, the initiative had reached nearly 3,000 active participants, benefiting over 14,000 family members, and led to the declaration of 40% of the shoreline as a sea turtle conservation area. Lakbayon has gained recognition locally and internationally, earning second place in the Thriving Communities category at the Green Destinations Top 100 Story Awards in Germany, highlighting its social, environmental, and economic significance. Despite challenges such as low allowances, limited cleanup tools, and excess waste, the project continues through persistent volunteer effort and support from the city government and environmental offices.