MANILA, Philippines – Netizens and environmental advocates are calling out Cove Manila for their attempt to break the world record for the largest balloon drop.
For their New Year Eve's countdown party, Cove Manila, Okada Manila's indoor beach club and nightclub will be releasing 130,000 balloons indoor as an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest balloon drop. Netizens, “econetizens” and environmental advocates are slamming the event, calling it the “largest trash dump.”
UPDATE: DENR orders Cove Manila to stop balloon drop event or face charges
Heathcliff Motorga, director of Cove Manila described their grand plan, "The countdown will be followed by our attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest indoor balloon drop. If the last record was in 2012 with 109,000, we'll drop this year 130,000 followed by massive fireworks for Okada’s New Year's Eve celebration, and I assume many local celebrities will be around. We will put Manila again on the map of the world with breaking news. It will be fantastic opportunity for our guests to make history together.”
Cove Manila released a statement addressing the concerns, “Rest assured though that the property is consistently following the Local Government Unit’s waste disposal guidelines and we’ll apply the same for our upcoming NYE2019 event."
Despite Cove Manila's assurance the balloon drop will be done indoors and that proper waste disposal procedures will be followed, environmentalists are not convinced.
SEE ALSO: New Year's Eve Countdown to 2019: Top 19 Places, Events in Metro Manila
Bataris Project, which is hosted by Greenpeace SEA-Philippines has been rallying their online petition to stop Cove Manila's controversial event.
The online petition said, “Even if this will be done indoors, Cove Manila's balloon drop must be stopped. How about growing 130,000 indigenous trees to offset your carbon emissions?”
The group stated that the event is “unsustainable, wasteful and ecologically apathetic.” They pointed out how the 130,000 rubber balloons will only fill up landfills and destroy ecosystems. Despite following proper waste disposal, the event might only add to the country's growing problem on plastic pollution.
The petition urged Cove Manila to try more environment-friendly alternatives such as “plant as remembrance” or use kite or wind spinners instead.
Several econetizens continue to make noise to stop the controversial party. Econetizen Grayson Gil Lidon Yañez wrote a letter for Cove Manila asking them to change their plans. An excerpt stated, “It’s 130,000 plastic/rubber balloons we are talking about here — at a single event. Chances are it will still be dumped in sites or eventually end up in the oceans. Hope you will still reconsider and help us take action in taking care of our environment.”
Climate Reality Philippines, Greenpeace Philippines, Save Philippine Seas and even local celebrities such as Bela Padilla and Winwyn Marquez have all spoken up against Cove Manila's party.
— Sally, The Summit Express
For their New Year Eve's countdown party, Cove Manila, Okada Manila's indoor beach club and nightclub will be releasing 130,000 balloons indoor as an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest balloon drop. Netizens, “econetizens” and environmental advocates are slamming the event, calling it the “largest trash dump.”
UPDATE: DENR orders Cove Manila to stop balloon drop event or face charges
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| Cove Manila is set to “drop” 130,000 balloons for their NYE 2019 countdown| Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Cove Manila |
Heathcliff Motorga, director of Cove Manila described their grand plan, "The countdown will be followed by our attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest indoor balloon drop. If the last record was in 2012 with 109,000, we'll drop this year 130,000 followed by massive fireworks for Okada’s New Year's Eve celebration, and I assume many local celebrities will be around. We will put Manila again on the map of the world with breaking news. It will be fantastic opportunity for our guests to make history together.”
Cove Manila released a statement addressing the concerns, “Rest assured though that the property is consistently following the Local Government Unit’s waste disposal guidelines and we’ll apply the same for our upcoming NYE2019 event."
Despite Cove Manila's assurance the balloon drop will be done indoors and that proper waste disposal procedures will be followed, environmentalists are not convinced.
SEE ALSO: New Year's Eve Countdown to 2019: Top 19 Places, Events in Metro Manila
The online petition said, “Even if this will be done indoors, Cove Manila's balloon drop must be stopped. How about growing 130,000 indigenous trees to offset your carbon emissions?”
The group stated that the event is “unsustainable, wasteful and ecologically apathetic.” They pointed out how the 130,000 rubber balloons will only fill up landfills and destroy ecosystems. Despite following proper waste disposal, the event might only add to the country's growing problem on plastic pollution.
The petition urged Cove Manila to try more environment-friendly alternatives such as “plant as remembrance” or use kite or wind spinners instead.
Several econetizens continue to make noise to stop the controversial party. Econetizen Grayson Gil Lidon Yañez wrote a letter for Cove Manila asking them to change their plans. An excerpt stated, “It’s 130,000 plastic/rubber balloons we are talking about here — at a single event. Chances are it will still be dumped in sites or eventually end up in the oceans. Hope you will still reconsider and help us take action in taking care of our environment.”
Climate Reality Philippines, Greenpeace Philippines, Save Philippine Seas and even local celebrities such as Bela Padilla and Winwyn Marquez have all spoken up against Cove Manila's party.
Lets not be the kind of people that will TOLERATE and/or release plastic and rubber balloons in an indoor event for people that will most likely be too drunk to notice. PLEASE SIGN https://t.co/BIF1PLLBfO— Bela Padilla (@padillabela) December 29, 2018
I know Cove Manila just wants to throw a great NYE party but dropping 130k balloons for a "world record" doesn't really make sense. 😔— Teresita Ssen Marquez (@wynmarquez) December 29, 2018
— Sally, The Summit Express
