Villar SIPAG presents livelihood programs to women's organizations
The Vilar SIPAG, a non-stock, non-profit organization with Senator Cynthia A. Villar as the Managing Director, aims to "support projects geared toward helping our less fortunate countrymen to break free from the clutches of poverty". During the IEC Campaign in Barangay Tumaga conducted by the Tumaga River WQMA Governing Board on July 13, 2017, the Villar SIPAG was invited to present livelihood programs particularly on programs that recycle solid wastes. The IEC Campaign was participated in by the Governing Board and Multi-sectorial Group members (Barangay Tumaga, Barangay Guiwan, Barangay Sta. Maria, Barangay Pasonanca, Barangay Tugbungan, Barangay Zambowood, Barangay Boalan, Barangay Tetuan, Office of the City Mayor, SEEP, PCOAI, Tugbungan Fishpond Operators, FARMC, NEDA, DPWH, NCIP, PAMB, DOST, and ZCWD), officials of Barangay Tumaga, and members of women’s organizations of barangays Tumaga, Sta. Maria, and Pasonanca.
Engr. Jennylend B. Ramos, Project Officer of Villar SIPAG stressed the importance of close coordination of LGU and barangay officials to effectively implement solid waste management. She then explained that the Villar SIPAG aims to give livelihood to every community in the country by providing skills, technical education, and equipment to manufacture products that can be sources of income for the community.
Engr. Ramos said that in Las Piñas, composting of biodegradable wastes is conducted at source such as in villages by the homeowners’ association. The biodegradable wastes, she said, are not anymore collected by the city government.
The lecturer stated that the coconut husk wastes are made into coconet using a machine that cost around Php 600,000 and the coconet is commonly used for slope protection. She also said that to sustain the projects offered by the Villar SIPAG, the organization itself buys and markets the manufactured products from the project beneficiaries. For example, the coconet, which she said can be completed in a week’s time, is bought at Php 4,400 each. The coconut husk wastes are also made into charcoal briquettes.
In her presentation, Engr. Ramos highlighted the recycling of residual plastic wastes into plastic school chairs. The organization has a recycling plant in Las Piñas that makes use of residual plastic wastes such as plastic bags, “sando” bags, cellophane, candy wrappers, sachets of coffee, milk and shampoo, and plastic straw. The equipment for the plastic recycling technology includes a crushing machine, cleaning tubs, dryer, extruder machine, and pressing machine. The plant in Las Piñas generates around thirty (30) plastic chairs and the production of each chair requires 24 kg of plastic wastes. The lecturer said that 720 kg of plastic wastes are recovered daily which are equivalent to two (2) garbage trucks and brought to the Las Piñas plant. She said that the recycling plant (machines and the structure) cost around Php 4-5 million and the training for the technology is provided for free by the foundation. Interested LGUs only have to request for training of manpower.
Also during the IEC Campaign, Ms. Karen C. Tandang, EMS II of EMB 9, gave a lecture on Republic Act 9003, otherwise known as the Philippine Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, and Ms. Emma S. Alipala of the Office of the City Environment and Natural Resources (OCENR) lectured on Zamboanga City Solid Waste Management Ordinance of 2016 or Ordinance No. 2016-176.
There was also a display of recyclable products produced by Centro de Mujeres con Esperanza, a women’s organization based in Barangay San Roque. The products include bags, wallets, and slippers made of recycled tetra packs of juices.
