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[av_heading heading=’Goal: Zero waste dinagyang’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY GLENDA S. TAYONA
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January 28, 2018
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ILOILO City – Enjoying the Dinagyang Festival and it street parties should not result to the trashing of the metro, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
January is not just a month of festivals but also the National Zero Waste Month, said Regional Director Jim Sampulna.
He, however, admitted that keeping Dinagyang totally garbage-free would be very hard to achieve at this time.
“We cannot change hearts overnight. Admittedly, there is still a need to educate people on the importance and benefits of waste management,” he said.
Among others, he urged those operating food kiosks to have enough bins where customers can dump their trash such as plastic cups and bottles, papers plates and plastic wrappers or bags.
“While we are enjoying the Dinagyang, a beautiful yearly cultural and spiritual exercise, let us not forget to take care of our environment by not littering our garbage,” said Sampulna.
The city government projects between 150 tons to 200 tons of solid waste in the two-day highlights of the Dinagyang (Jan. 27 and 28).
“This observance of Zero Waste Month will measure the sincerity of an individual in helping us to have a trash-free environment,” said Sampulna.
DENR’s call, however, does not just cover January. For the rest of the year practice proper waste disposal and proper waste segregation, he stressed.
“There is a need for us to practice waste segregation at source, in households where the bulk of wastes are collected,” said Sampulna.
He urged the Iloilo City government to put in place a stricter policy in waste collection so as to unload the sanitary land fill in Barangay Calajuan, Mandurriao district.
For the Dinagyang, the city government’s General Services Office (GSO) is mobilizing 150 personnel to ensure the metro’s cleanliness.
“We expect a lot of garbage,” said GSO head Joren Sartorio.
The garbage will be disposed at the sanitary landfill.
Sampulna suggested that biodegradable wastes, especially kitchen wastes, be composted to lessen the volume of wastes at the landfill and the foul odor emitting from it.
“Let us practice the three Rs – reduce using materials that can harm the mother Earth; reuse the plastics and other reusable materials; and recycle the trash that we can somehow use when recycled,” said Sampulna.
Proclamation No. 760 declares every month of January as Zero Waste Month. It is an advocacy that promotes the designing and managing of products and processes to avoid and eliminate the volume and toxicity of waste and materials.
The Zero Waste Month is also pursuant to Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000./PN
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