Two public schools in Angeles City have received new arm chairs and waste bins from Eco Protect Management Corporation (EPMC), a Pampanga-based private landfill company.
The EPMC, led by its Chief Executive Officer Alainne Tan, on April 11 turned over eight trash bins to Tacondo Elementary School (TES) and 40 armchairs to Gueco Balibago Elementary School (GBES) as part of the firm's “Lunes Malinis” program.
The chairs, made from upcycled single-use plastic sachets, were produced from at least 860 kilos of plastic waste collected from the two schools.
GBES Principal Marianne Pineda said the 40 armchairs will help complete the furnishing of another classroom in their primary level.
The waste management company said the GBES initially received 40 armchairs last March.
Pineda cited the involvement of both students and parents in collecting single-use plastic sachets from their homes and bringing them to school.
“Ang aim namin ay lahat sana ng nasa primary level ay maabutan ng mga bagong arm chairs kaya very grateful kami sa ‘Lunes Malinis’ program dahil hindi lang bagong upuan ang nabibigay nila, kundi saya at disiplina sa mga bata,” Pineda said.
TES Principal Cherry Hipolito, meanwhile, committed to sustain the initiative even during school break.
The TES was among the schools visited by EPMC with the most deteriorated armchairs.
Hipolito thanked the firm for its contribution in providing a conducive learning environment through better classroom furniture.
“As of now, trash bin muna ang nakuha namin kasi ang plano ni Ma’am Alainne (Tan) ay i-upcycle din ang mga existing chairs namin. Kaya ang target namin kahit bakasyon, tuluy-tuloy ang pagkolekta para tuluy-tuloy ang malinis na kapaligiran, at mas mabilis namin makukuha ang mga target namin na upuan,” Hipolito said.
Since its launching in February, the “Lunes Malinis” initiative has donated over 150 arm chairs and trash bins to public elementary schools in Angeles City and City of San Fernando.