Sink or Float? Olongapo’s Recyclables Regatta Proves Trash Can Set Sail!

Hungrytravelduo
Feb 7
3 min read

What if we told you that trash can float—and even race? Welcome to Olongapo City’s Recyclables Regatta, where creativity meets sustainability, and boats made from discarded materials battle it out on the waters of Subic Bay.

This isn’t just any boat race—it’s a wild, wet, and eco-friendly adventure that challenges students, communities, and organizations to turn everyday waste into seaworthy vessels. Whether you sink or sail, the real win is proving that recycling can be fun, impactful, and a total game-changer for the environment.

A Regatta Like No Other

Since its launch in 2014, the Recyclables Regatta has become a yearly spectacle, encouraging participants to build boats using at least 80% recycled materials—plastic bottles, old tires, bamboo, and even reclaimed wood. The challenge? Make it float, make it fast, and make it across a 100-meter course!

Beyond the race, the event spreads an important message: our oceans are drowning in plastic, and it’s up to us to clean them up. By repurposing trash into racing boats, participants show that small actions can lead to big environmental changes.

2024: Racing for a Greener Future

On September 28, 2024, Driftwood Beach in Barangay Barretto became the stage for the most exciting regatta yet! Students, barangays, NGOs, and community groups all took part, paddling their way to victory—or at least to the finish line!

🏆 And the winners are...

Open Category:

🥇 First Place: Barangay Kalaklan

🥈 Second Place: The Lighthouse Marina Resort

🥉 Third Place: Army Reserve Olongapo

School Category:

🥇 First Place: Kalaklan Elementary School

🥈 Second Place: Columban College Main

🥉 Third Place: Mabayuan Senior High School

Students stole the spotlight with their ingenious designs, proving that young minds can create big environmental solutions. Imagine a future where everyone, including students like you, builds eco-friendly inventions that actually make a difference!

Ready, set, sail. Student teams prime up to race for the 2024 Recyclables Regatta in Olongapo.

Why This Matters: The EPR Connection

You’ve probably heard about recycling, but did you know that companies are now legally responsible for the waste their products create? That’s called Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and it’s a law that ensures corporations reduce, recycle, and properly dispose of plastic waste.

The Recyclables Regatta is a perfect example of how we can all play a role in cutting down plastic pollution. By turning trash into boats, we’re showing big brands that waste doesn’t have to end up in landfills—it can be given a second life.

The Subic Sailing Club x Lighthouse Marina Resort - organizers of the first Recyclables Regatta in Zambales.

The Lighthouse Marina Resort: Sailing Toward Sustainability

A huge shoutout to The Lighthouse Marina Resort Legacy Foundation (LMRLF) for being one of the biggest supporters and has been instrumental in organizing and supporting the Recyclables Regatta since its start in 2014.

Zed Avecilla, Executive Director of Lighthouse Legacy Foundation posing with some of the student made Recyclable Regatta boats. Amazing how they made the boats with all sorts of waste materials!

More than just a luxury getaway, this resort has been at the forefront of eco-friendly initiatives in Subic, showing that businesses can and should be part of the sustainability movement.

How YOU Can Join Next Year!

Feeling inspired? Here’s how you can make your own recyclable boat and join next year’s regatta:

✅ Gather your crew! Form a team with your classmates, friends, or even family members.

✅ Collect recyclable materials. Think plastic bottles, bamboo, rubber tires, and old tarpaulins. Get creative!

✅ Design your boat. Make sure it’s buoyant, sturdy, and fun to race.

✅ Test it out! Before the big day, take it for a test sail in a calm body of water

✅ Join the regatta and have a blast!

Whether you win or not, you’re already a champion for the environment.

Ready to Make Waves?

The Recyclables Regatta isn’t just about paddling—it’s about pushing for a cleaner, greener future. Imagine if every school in the Philippines hosted a recyclable boat race—how much waste could we save from ending up in the ocean?

So, are you ready to turn trash into treasure and prove that recycling can be both exciting and life-changing? Gather your recyclables, start building, and see you at next year’s regatta! 🚣‍♂️♻️