MORE than 60 people representing local government units (LGUs) and civil society organizations gathered at the Plastic Waste Solutions Summit held in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental on August 28 to collaborate solutions that will meet the end of plastic pollution.
The highlight of the gathering is the signing of the Bayawan Declaration which commits to implementing a local solid waste management plan including a dedicated section on “Action to Plastic Wastes.”
Each participant also committed to individually reduce the flow of plastic to the oceans.
The summit was organized by Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation Inc. (PRRCFI), the organization behind Danjugan Island.
Danjugan Island shows a conservation model that fully commits to a holistic approach to a refined relationship between wildlife and human with a consciousness of increasing food security for communities.
PRRCFI currently runs the project Sea Waste Education to Eradicate Plastic (Sweep) in partnership with the USAID.
Sweep started on March 31, 2018 and is planned to run until March 31, 2020.
Its target communities are the seven marine key biodiversity areas in southern Negros namely Cauayan, Sipalay, and Hinoba-an in Negros Occidental; Bayawan, Basay, Sta. Catalina, and Siaton in Negros Oriental.
Bacolod City is also a target area of the project.
Peter Loach, senior program manager of Developments Innovation Group (DIG), commended the work and collaboration of LGUs and communities in Negros specifically in Sweep project sites. DIG manages the Municipal Waste Recycling Program (MWRP) of the USAID.
Sweep works with the LGUs and implements activities that will all contribute to the goal of #MoreFishNotPlastic. These activities involve providing workshops on information, education and communication (IEC) materials to improve solid waste management, technical assistance to LGUs, implementing zero-waste sari-sari store and closer study on the circular economy.
The summit provided information input from speakers of various model LGUs and CSOs.
The city of Bayawan and Sipalay shared key implementation models of their Solid Waste Management program.
Both cities have been commended, with a special award provided during the eve of the summit, as showing best practice in waste management and community involvement.
Solid Waste Management practices from the municipality of Dumalinao in Zamboanga del Sur were also shared in the summit.
Merci Ferrer of War Against Plastic based in Dumaguete City spoke about the success of citizen action in implementing the plastic regulation.
Lastly, Angela Chen from Akipeo Inc. shared a study on the Business Case of Plastic in the Philippines.
The summit was co-hosted by John Arceo and Antoinette Taus.
Arceo is highly committed to contributing to environmental causes specifically those pertaining to managing wastes while Taus is the Ambassadress of Clean Seas Philippines and has been very active in moving forward awareness on plastic waste specifically on policy change through legislation in collaboration with the office of Senator Risa Hontiveros.
The summit concluded with a tour at Bayawan’s sanitary landfill on August 29, 2018. (PR)