When it comes to our athletes, there are many that are willing to pledge their support, yet few follow through on that promise after the Olympics and Paralympics. That’s not the case with Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP), which collaborated with Filipino Paralympic swimmer, Ernie Gawilan to hold the Start Your Impossible National Coastal Cleanup and Mangrove Planting Day. Held last December 14, 2024, the event was held in 33 locations across the Philippines, aimed to inspire communities to protect marine ecosystems and tackle coastal pollution, supporting Gawilan’s social commitment as a Global Team Toyota Athlete (GTTA).
Driving change beyond sports
As part of its global ‘Start Your Impossible’ corporate initiative, Toyota has partnered with more than 200 Global Team Toyota Athletes (GTTA), from across the globe, at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024. Besides supporting their sporting endeavors, Toyota has also pledged to support their charitable endeavors, which empowers athletes not only to pursue sports excellence but also to become advocates for social good.
Together with two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Caros Yulo, Toyota inspired and empowered young gymnasts through a Gymnastic Camp held last November. Yulo identified championing youth development through sports training opportunities and food security as his advocacies.
This time, with Gawilan, Toyota is highlighting the importance of preserving the marine ecosystem and combating the pressing issue of coastal pollution. This event holds dear to Gawilan as Samal Island is the place which shaped him to become the athlete that he is today. The Paralympian swimmer was born with underdeveloped extremities. He swam every day in the waters off Samal Island, Davao and recounts seeing so much plastic packaging in the water.
Coastal waters for swimmers
The event brought together 1,302 volunteers from Toyota Motor Philippines, and the Toyota dealer network, and was guided by the local government unit and environment offices. The group of volunteers collected 789 bags of plastic waste and debris. Alongside the cleanup efforts, 10,354 mangrove seedlings were planted, further contributing to the restoration of critical mangrove forests in various coastal communities.
"Nagpapasalamat ako sa Toyota family sa pagtulong sa akin sa pagtatanim at coastal cleanup ngayong araw (I am grateful to the Toyota family for helping me with the tree planting and the coastal cleanup today),” said Ernie Gawilan at his speech at the Samal Island site of the nationwide activity. "Sana marami akong na-inspire, at pagtulungan natin na ma-preserve ang kalikasan natin, lalo na ang dagat, kasi dito po ako nagsimula (I hope I have inspired many, and let us work together to preserve our environment, especially the ocean, because this is where I started).”
“Ernie is a dual hero, we have also been working alongside him in championing cleaner waters through various cleanup and planting projects,” said Elijah Sue Marcial, TMP Vice President for Network Sales & Systems Cluster. “This advocacy was chosen personally by Ernie as a way to give back to the communities that supported him toward his dreams.”
Gawilan, an Asian Para Games gold medalist and a proud Davaoeño, has made championing cleaner waters and driving environmental awareness central to his mission of creating meaningful change beyond sports. Thanks to Toyota’s support, his indelible mark on the sport and selfless work for the communities will continue live on even after the athlete retires.