DENR pleads to #DropBalloonDrop, Okada Manila cancels event

Okada Manila’s club Cove Manila has officially decided to terminate their plans in celebrating New Year’s Eve through the dropping of 130,000 balloons in their indoor dome. (File Photo: Okada Manila/Facebook)

Okada Manila’s club Cove Manila has officially decided to terminate their plans in celebrating New Year’s Eve through the dropping of 130,000 balloons in their indoor dome after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) sent out a letter to the company urging for the discontinuation of the event.

In a statement by the DENR’s Biodiversity Management, they were “urging Cove Manila and Okada Manila to cancel the balloon drop activity and to redirect their efforts towards more sustainable, environmentally-friendly activities that the majority of Filipinos will enjoy and be proud of.”

Initially, Cove Manila defended themselves stating that “the balloons are biodegradable,” but the DENR explained, “Biodegradable balloons, although made of natural latex, may take six months to four years or more to decompose naturally, depending on the amount and on the ability of microorganisms to breakdown large quantities.”

Cove Manila still attempted to defend their case assuring the DENR that they have proven their “cooperation with social responsibility” by recalling their participation in Las Pinas-Paranaque’s Coastal Cleanup earlier in the year as an example, but the DENR clarified “With this balloon drop event, it was made clear to us that Okada Manila did not actually grasp the rationale of the cleanup activity.” Furthermore, the sector’s Undersecretary Benny Antiporda shared with the media that pushing through with the plan can cause legal action against the night club’s owners as they are in violation of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

Eventually, the DENR’s plea proved effective as Cove Manila released a statement last Sunday night that they are aware of the “many concerns raised from the various sectors about the environmental impact of the event” and as a result, that they have “voluntarily decided to cancel the Balloon Drop event as a sign of respect… and in support of the Government’s campaign to protect and save the environment.” Cove Manila concludes, “While the Balloon Drop event has been cancelled, the public is advised that the New Year’s Eve Countdown Party at Cove Manila and all other festivities in Okada Manila will proceed as scheduled and will not be affected.”