Anti-BAHA Alliance SWM Education Drive

Kicks off at Vista Alegre

By Carla N. Canet

The Bacolod Anti-BAHA Alliance launched its Solid Waste Management education campaign in Vista Alegre yesterday as part of its advocacy for a clean, green and floodless Bacolod.

Vista Alegre Punong Barangay Jose Antonio Gensoli, purok and youth leaders welcomed the Alliance in its effort to help improve the solid waste management of Bacolod City.

Mrs. Jean Trebol, Agnes Jalandoni, Alan Gensoli and some members of the Alliance went out of their way to help in the education campaign.

Jalandoni said the Solid Waste Management group in the Mitigating Committee was requested to help in the education campaign and Alan Gensoli chose Vista Alegre as the pilot barangay for the education campaign.

If this will succeed in Vista Alegre, this can be replicated in other barangays, she said.

Jalandoni said that it's time to share to others about proper waste disposal and how it can be converted into money out of segregating the non-biodegradable from bio-degradable materials.

"We need to teach people how important are their contribution to this effort. We have to know how much garbage we dispose everyday. We all know that we contribute why our canals and surroundings get dirty because others are not doing their share. We have to educate ourselves on proper waste disposal.  We should not throw our garbage carelessly. We should not use plastics; we need to recycle bottles and cans so that only residual waste is left for proper disposal," she said.

She added that if she can do it, she must share it to her neighbors and fellow Bacolodnons so that the effort could mushroom.

 

"Literally, it has to start uphill. And then hopefully it can be replicated. We have to help one another in changing our attitude towards garbage. It's difficult but it is possible," she said.

In other foreign countries, people are educated and disciplined in proper garbage disposal. Other Filipinos who worked overseas also adopted such practice. Their streets are clean because people follow the rules.

Punong Barangay Gensoli said that solid waste management is a priority program in his barangay.

He said that Vista Alegre has many rivers. The river in Villa Angela started to get dirty because garbage and plastics are being thrown there. The garbage collection was done once every month or two and now it was done once every two weeks. This is because some residents just asked somebody to throw their garbage and they just pay and unfortunately, it is being thrown directly to the rivers.

He told his Purok Presidents to prohibit dwellers within the 50 meter distance from the river.

"I thanked that the Anti-BAHA Alliance is here so that they could help educate our people regarding Solid Waste Management. First time we met, they asked me about the first step that they will do and I told them, it's in the education of the people about solid waste management," he said.

He planned to make Vista Alegre as the model barangay for all the 61 barangay in terms of cleanliness. There is a Clean and Green competition for the barangays and the evaluation started this month until next month.

He said that he does not need the competition because he sees to it that their barangay is always clean. "They can come here anytime and they will see how clean our roads are."

Since he became the Punong Barangay, garbage segregation is his priority and that includes Abada-Escay resettlement area. "We will educate the people in Abada Escay because the dwellers there came from the 36 different barangays in the city and these people don't care about proper waste disposal. If you are looking for mountainous garbage, go to Abada Escay," he said.

He also instructed the barangay tanods to make rounds at night because there are private vehicles with garbage in it which they just throw their garbage in Abada Escay.

Moreover, Mr. Alan Gensoli said that the city government has allocated P3 million SWM budget, divided in all the 61 barangays with computation or formula which is based on area times population. They used a population Census of 2000 wherein Abada-Escay was not yet around.

Now the population of Abada Escay has increased by 7,500. Other barangays received the same amount as if these 7,500 people are still there in their barangays.

According to Councilor Greg Gasataya, the new SWM budget will take effect in 2010.

Their situation in the Abada Escay is very difficult because it has no proper utilities like power, water and drainage. People were just transferred there even if it lacks preparation of the site.

Even the Gawad Kalinga in the Abada Escay also lacks these basic utilities.

"We need to educate the people because of health and ecology. Ecology is a

Greek word which means home. If we clean our home, why can't we clean our ecology which is also a home?" he asked.

He added that based on the RA 9003, City Ordinance 310, and solid waste management is the responsibility of the barangays. We need to segregate at source The Material recovery facility must be in the barangay level so that the city will just collect the residual waste and it should be placed in a sanitary land fill. However the city has not yet started in its educational campaign.

The implementing agencies are DENR and National Solid waste management commission. Under NSWC Resolution 9, they categorize on how many volumes of garbage are being disposed in your locality. Bacolod City is under category 4 because it has more than 200 tons of garbage a day and it needs to have a sanitary land fill with a treatment pond.

According to the law, by February 16, 2004, the open dumpsite should be converted into a controlled dumpsite. But by Feb. 16, 2006, all controlled dumpsites should be closed. February 17, 2006 the use of sanitary land fill should start, "We are more than 2 years and a half delayed, that alone is against the law. The government is liable for that under the law. Government swore to protect and preserve the integrity of the law. But here we are, just ignoring the law."

He said that the 7 hectare property which the city bought from Lopez is just beside the existing dump site and in two months from now, it will be fully filled up. "Do you think we could make a sanitary land fill immediately? It takes a year to do it. We need to teach our people to segregate so that the volumes of garbage could be reduced tremendously. There is so much money which can be made out of the trash. I have seen no reason why we will not segregate.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Trebol they conducted a waste characterization in Vista Alegre to determine what kind of waste they generate and from there they can determine what kind of material recovery facility they will need.

After this, they will conduct a two day seminar, which is going to be more intensive for the SWM group which they will create.

Alan Gensoli chose Vista Alegre because the success factor is high. The Punong Barangay and the Council are very eager to implement SWM.

She said that it's not easy to change people's attitude towards garbage. But if the city shows that they mean business, it will be easy. It has to start from them. We are just here to help and show them the examples and hopefully it will be successful. And if it is, it can be something that everyone can follow. We want to show to all that's its doable."*(CNC)