SAN MATEO, Isabela – Two villages from this top rice-producing town known for minimizing the use of plastic bags through its “Walang Plastikan” program were recently adjudged as the country’s models for solid waste management, besting some 42,000 other barangays in the country.
President Arroyo, who personally awarded the two villages, Old Centro and San Marcos here, P800,000 and P400,000, respectively, for their efficient solid waste management systems in awarding rites in Malacañang last week, also declared this town as and eco-agricultural destination in Cagayan Valley.
The two were among seven barangays nationwide that were given honor for their individual ways of coming to grips with the solid waste problem in their respective areas.
The other winners were San Antonio, Cauayan City, Isabela; Lingsat, San Fernando City, La Union, which like Old Centro, received P800,000 each in category A; and Butubut Norte, Balaoan, La Union; Bagong Silang, Maramag, Bukidnon; and Oring-oring in Brooke’s Point, Palawan; which were also given P400,000 each in category B.
The seven were awarded for their innovative implementation of RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.
The yearly search for model barangays in ecological solid waste management was also undertaken in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the National Solid Waste Management Commission to strengthen the country’s goal towards zero waste by 2020.
“Whatever recognition we received are a welcome bonus for our sincere concern for the protection of the environment,” said Mayor Roberto Agcaoili, a recent recipient of the much coveted 2008 Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award of the Civil Service Commission and Punong Bayan Award of Excellence.
This once-obscure town, which is the region’s rice bowl, gained prominence after it banned the use of plastic bags and other non-biodegradable items in all local establishments, including the public market in an effort to put more teeth to its zero-waste program, with the ultimate goal of cushioning the effects of global warming. – Charlie Lagasca