It may seem out of character, but one of Philippine show business’ most glamorized leading men has recently been shedding his designer-branded wardrobe for “tocong” and shirt as he traces and gives back to his provinciano roots just to make a statement. The award-winning actor was seen joining in a coastal and underwater cleanup drive in Brgy. Mainit in Mabini, Batangas shortly after new year this year.
Enlisting as a volunteer to the environmental clean-up project by the Ang Probinsyano Partylist, the actor fondly referred to as Papa P said it was his way of showing his gratitude to the local community of Mabini, Batangas. Since the pandemic started, Pascual has been spending most of his time in a residential property he bought in the quiet little town south of Manila.
“I consider Batangas my home now,” he emphasized.
The community clean-up drive yielded a total of 135 kilograms of waste materials collected by 50 volunteers headed by the local tourism office of Mabini. Representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) were also present to properly document and dispose of the collected materials.
Despite having to endure prolonged exposure to the elements as well as the scorching heat of the sun, the actor found great fulfillment in what he experienced during the drive. It actually prompted him to commit even greater involvement and time to other projects lined up for various local communities.
He said: “This will only be the first of the many projects of the partylist that he will be supporting.” He likewise bared being an environmentalist by heart and his desire to help protect Mother Earth: “I am thankful to have been part of this initiative by Ang Probinsyano Partylist. Environmental issues are close to my heart. I fully support the partylist’s call for everyone to act now and act fast,” he added.
For his part, APPL Representative Alfred delos Santos expressed gratitude for Pascual’s willingness to push for projects that will benefit the countryside.
“We welcome the support of Mr. Piolo Pascual in our projects. Rural development is one of our main advocacies. We believe that a clean environment leads to better tourism opportunities for the community, therefore improving the livelihood of our kababayans. We look forward to working closely with him, hoping to inspire our kababayans to also take part in projects such as this clean-up drive.”
In appreciation of Piolo’s generous donation of his time and commitment, the local tourism office of Mabini said that they will continue with the regular coastal and underwater clean-up projects despite the pandemic.