An experimental waste-to-resource collection scheme will be implemented in four barangays in the city from Sept. 9 to Dec. 31 to boost the city’s waste reduction campaign.
The system will require barangays Bakakeng Central, Guisad Surong, Gibraltar and Irisan to manage the segregation of their wastes to separate recyclable wastes from residual refuse.
Recyclable materials can be sold by the barangays in junk shops or picked up by the city’s partners at the Zero Waste Baguio to serve as an additional source of funds for them.
The residual or simple wastes will be picked up by the GSO Waste Management Division for transfer to the city’s materials recovery facility.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong who issued Memorandum 111-2024 for the purpose said the system aims to boost the city’s campaign for waste reduction and waste-to-resource in line with the circular economy concept which aims to “aims to minimize waste and promote sustainable use of natural resources through smarter product design, longer use, recycling and more as well as regenerate nature (with the end in view of) helping tackle the problem on pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss.”
“If this proves to be successful, then we can adopt the system in all barangays,” the mayor said.
City General Services Officer Eugene Buyucan said the move is in line with Republic Act No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 which mandates that “segregation and collection of solid waste shall be conducted at the barangay level specifically for biodegradable, compostable and reusable wastes provided that the collection of non-recyclable materials and special wastes shall be the responsibility of the municipality or the city.”
He said this will benefit the city government in its collection activities as segregation will be done at the barangay level and not by the city garbage collectors thereby allowing them extra time to attend to their collection routes and speed up the process.
Magalong earlier expressed readiness to transform into a green economy where waste management and energy efficiency are enhanced through circular economy and renewable energy development.
He said this is one way to arrest urban decay, mitigate the climate crisis and achieve the city’s vision of becoming a livable, inclusive and creative city.
He created through an executive Order the City Circular Economy Action Team to be headed by himself with co-chair city council committee on health and sanitation, ecological and environmental protection Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda and action officers City Planning Development and Sustainability Coordinator Arch Donna Tabangin and Buyucan to spearhead the planning, designing, implementation, monitoring and reporting of plans and multi-stakeholder initiatives that contribute to the 10R principles (refuse, rethink, reduce, reuse, repair, refurbish, remanufacture, repurpose, recycle and recover) of circular economy.
He urged the cooperation of all residents and tourists acknowledging that it is a tall order but achievable if the responsibility is shared by all. ** Aileen P. Refuerzo