THE Zero Waste Youth Pilipinas (ZWYP) is a non-government organization under the Mother Earth Foundation, Inc. that facilitates and coordinates with all ZWYP members to be catalysts for change in committing and performing their responsibility to raise awareness in addressing and finding solutions to pressing environmental issues.
According to Jann Audry Manalese, the president of the organization, ZWYP “aims to empower the youth and the school community to collaborate, and to implement sustainable environmental programs – specifically, a holistic solid waste management system that will support the strict implementation of the Republic Act (R.A.) 9003 also known as Ecological Solid Waste Management of 2000.” He also added that “it is also a sub-program of Mother Earth Foundation, and is currently led by the alumni of the Fernandino Youth for Environment in Schools Organization (YES-O) Network.”
The ZWYP Organization has upcoming programs that will enlighten the youth about the Republic Act 9003 or also known as Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. These include zero waste race, zero waste youth, camp, zero waste youth convergence, information, education, and communication campaigns, and zero waste in schools.
“It has been the plan of the organization to fully establish itself to better serve the youth and the school community. More projects and programs that will help empower the youth will be drafted and planned carefully,” Manalese said when asked about the future plans of the organization. “We also plan on expanding our project areas of the Mother Earth Foundation, Inc.,” he added. (Quio Dre Aguila/UA Intern)