MANILA — Weeks after typhoon “Carina” (international name: Gaemi) submerged Metro Manila and its adjoining regions, the Mandaluyong City government has stepped up its clean-up and declogging operations that would involve residents in the flood-prone areas.
Dubbed the “Palit Basura Para sa Pagkain sa Mesa” (Trash-for-Food) program, Vice Mayor Menchie Abalos renewed calls on local folks to segregate recyclable waste that may be used to redeem basic food commodities.
In a recent clean-up drive that was conducted in coordination with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Abalos took pride in the city’s program, which, according to her, kicked off during the pandemic.
Launched in 2021, the “Palit Basura Para Sa Pagkain Sa Mesa” program allows residents to earn stubs for a minimum of five kilos (a maximum of 10 kilos) of recyclable materials such as plastic bags, plastic bottles, and other plastic scraps.
Accumulated stubs, she added, may be used to avail basic grocery items—rice, vegetables, and noodle packs. The collected trash will then be processed and converted into chairs, tables, and other eco-friendly products.
This initiative underscores the local government’s effort to address flooding while simultaneously providing help to local folks, on top of the environmental awareness for which Republic Act 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000) was enacted into law. (JVD/PIA-NCR)
