LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Some 14 non-motorized floats from different barangays in this valley town competed in the Strawberry Festival 2019 Float Parade on Saturday.
“The float parade was divided into two main categories – the Pro-Environment and the Valley of Colors Contest,” La Trinidad Municipal Tourism Officer Valred Olsim said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
There were 11 entries for the pro-environment and three for the valley of colors at the festival, which carries the theme, “My Home, My Pride”.
Olsim said that for the pro-environment category, floats were made of 90 percent recycled materials.
“It must exhibit the municipality’s dedication to promote solid waste management by recycling and conservation,” he said.
“Each barangay not only helped manage wastes in their own community, but also created a masterpiece that represented the culture and their identity,” he added.
For the valley of colors category, floats must be made of 90 percent flowers, plants, vegetations, and other indigenous materials.
He also said that the floats should also display the municipality’s pride of being the country’s capital and major source of cut flowers and ornamental flowers/plants.
Fourteen barangays participated in the parade, with 10 of them competing in the Pro-Environment Category — barangays Lubas, Balili, Pico, Alno, Shilan, Tawang, Poblacion, Betag, Alapang, and Puguis.
Barangay Lubas used old and used slippers, different sizes and colors of old clothes buttons, plastic spoons, different colors of about 2,000 vaccine caps, used tires, pet bottles, and plastic wrappers in creating their float.
For a time, Lubas had been engaging in recycling activities for income and livelihood.
“Our main focus is to encourage the women organizations to recycle scraps and produce products from these to promote recycling. The profit is used for the barangay’s feeding program for malnourished children,” Lubas village secretary, Loida Licang, said on the sidelines of the float parade.
Barangay Balili’s float was made of 92 percent of recycled materials, such as plastic bottles, plastic caps, bottle caps, crushed bottles, old tarpaulins, cartons, old sacks, dried sunflower, moss, bark and old motorcycle tires.
It also highlighted the STOBOSA Hillside Homes Artwork as one of the tourist destinations in the municipality located in Balili.
Barangay Alno created its float using 10,000 plastic bottle caps, plastic bottles, old cartons, newspaper, used wood of different sizes. They also re-used the frame of last year’s float.
The float aims to present the pride of the town — the sweet strawberry, and advertised the products made of strawberries such as wine, jam, and shortcake.
Barangay Shilan’s float showcased the industrial and agri-tourism sector. It was made up of old CDs, pet bottles, bottle caps, and other recycled plastics.
Barangay Alapang’s float was made of recycled plastics, plastic caps, candy wrappers, scrap papers, cartoons, sacks, feathers, moss, local orchids, tarpaulin roll, “bilao” or large woven tray, bamboo, pine cones, and tires.
Plastics, “tansans”, rice hulls, corn peelings, coconut shells, were some of the materials used in Barangay Betag’s float. The float was inspired by the strawberry, a produce of the barangay.
Barangay Poblacion created a float that represented the rich resources that thrive in the locality using used cartons and tree barks.
Barangay Pico’s float was made mostly of pet bottles and bottle caps. Barangay Tawang used old newspapers, plastic bottles, sacks, coconut shells, and other recyclable materials collected from the residents.
Barangay Puguis’ float was made of straws, sando bags, and plastic bottles, portraying a theme that depicts the richness of their soil, which produces abundant fruits and vegetables in their community.
Puguis Punong Barangay Tyrone Diaz said they want to showcase the byproducts of their wastes if well processed.
Olsim said this is the fifth year since 2015 where pro-environment floats were showcased in the annual strawberry festival, with the goal of promoting environmental consciousness and encouraging community participation.
The winners will be announced on March 29.** Krystelle Luken Pangpangdeo/PNA
