Boracay garbage may be recycled, says DTI

Believe it or not, these debris are from the seafloor of Boracay Island collected by Philippine Coast Guard personnel with the help of volunteers from Boracay scuba shops. The debris include plastic bottles, beer bottles and tin cans, among others. PHOTO BY LT. COMMANDER RAMIL PABALRICA, PCG CATICALAN

ILOILO City – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is planning to tap an association of waste pickers in this city to mentor people in Boracay Island interested to join the training on waste recycling.

The target trainees are displaced workers and even local micro, small and medium entrepreneurs affected by the closure of island resort.

“That is one of the issues in Boracay — waste segregation, recycling and waste management,” said DTI-6 director Rebecca Rascon.

This is very timely, especially that there is an ongoing rehabilitation in the island, she added.

Rascon said she had an initial talk with the United Calajunan Livelihood Association (UCLA) based in Barangay Calajunan, Mandurriao district.

UCLA was established in 2005 and had around 300 members.

From the recyclable wastes they gathered from the Calajunan dumpsite, the group was able to come up with products such as bags from papers, accessories and jewelry, vases, and paper briquettes, among others.

DTI has identified waste recycling as among the trainings it would offer to displaced workers and even residents of Boracay.

“It will decongest the island of plastic because they will convert them to finished products,” she said.

UCLA may also tap Boracay trainees should there be orders they could not meet due to limited manpower or materials.

DTI hoped to launch the training last week of May or early June this year.

DTI has already conducted trainings on financial literacy and skills training on siomai- and puto pao-making.

Still in the pipeline are “Trabaho, Negosyo at Kabuhayan” in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment, “Negosyo, Serbisyo sa Barangay” and skills training on soap-making, crafts-making and fashion accessories, among others.

Rascon said the budget for these trainings came from their local “Negosyo Center” funds. (PNA)

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