|
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
'Bioman' is alive
* He spearheads solid waste management efforts in Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya
BAMBANG, Nueva Vizcaya -- Mention "Bioman" to anybody who loves to watch Japanese superheroes and they would surely remember him: a commoner who transforms himself to a powerful defender of the good and the nemesis of evil.
With the Filipinos' love for superheroes and affinity for make-believe characters, the pre-primetime show was an instant hit. The show dominated airtime for quite a while but eventually went off the air and along with it, "Bioman".
Little did everybody know that "Bioman" is still alive. He was resurrected not too long ago by the officials of Barangay Banggot in the fast progressing town of Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya. This time however, "Bioman" takes on a different challenge: he is now the chief defender of the environment. His main task: to promote ecological solid waste management. He is the champion of Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.
"That's how we call our sanitary aides or garbage collectors who pick up segregated waste from over 1,000 households in Barangay Banggot," said Barangay Captain Ernesto Tolentino Jr., referring to the term Bioman. "We thought of using it as it goes well with the words biodegradable and non-biodegrable, reminding people to segregate their waste," he explained. It clicked. Tolentino said at least 80 percent of their households are practicing segregation.
The brainchild of Banggot's barangay captain, "Bioman" is not only a garbage collector. He also helps barangay officials in teaching the community of the value of proper waste segregation. He goes from one house to another, encouraging people to reduce their waste and segregate reusable, recyclable and biodegradable waste. Barangay Banggot currently has three "Biomen". Tolentino said these sanitary aides are fully supported by other barangay officials who strictly enforce waste segregation.
"We don't collect wastes that are not segregated," Tolentino said. "We conduct regular information campaign, through meetings, bandilyo or recorida and house visits to educate our people about the importance of waste segregation and its key contribution to keeping a clean and healthy environment." Through these information drives, Tolentino said everyone was made aware of how and what to segregate and when to take out the biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste for pick up by "Biomen".
Barangay Banggot, which purchased its own garbage truck using its Internal Revenue Allotment, collects biodegradable twice a week, and non-biodegradable once a week.
Barangay Banggot is one of the barangays in Bambang that is intensively implementing the town's waste segregation program - a major component of the town's 10-year Solid Waste Management (SWM) Plan which was developed with assistance from the United States Agency for International Development (Usaid)-funded Philippine Environmental Governance (EcoGov) Project.
SWM is the flagship program of Mayor Pepito Balgos of Bambang, which is set to launch its Materials Recovery Facility and controlled dump - the first in Nueva Vizcaya - mid-October. The provincial government of Nueva Vizcaya, which is fully supporting this program, has provided close to P2 million worth of infrastructure facilities.
Mayor Balgos is pleased with the results of Barangay Banggot's pioneering programs, which are also being implemented in other barangays.
"Due to the initial success of 'Bioman' in Barangay Banggot, three more barangays in Bambang have produced their own team of superheroes," said Balgos. These are Barangays Buag, Calaocan and Homestead, which are also implementing their respective solid waste management campaigns. He added that the barangays' waste segregation efforts are now being replicated in the public market and the commercial areas of Bambang. (Press release)
(October 26, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
