Forty-eight staff of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) assigned in the Bacolod City Operations Office underwent a training session on waste management, conducted by the Bacolod City Environment and Natural Resources Office (BENRO) Nov. 11.
The training activity was a continuation of the 4Ps PET Bottles collection program piloted Oct. 24-26 in select barangays of Bacolod and participated in by almost 2,411 4Ps beneficiaries.
They collected 2,410.02 kilos of PET bottles, the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Western Visayas said Nov. 12.
BENRO officer-in-charge Ma. Fe Trespuentes said the Solid Waste Management Program in the city is addressing both environmental and health problems in the community.
The trash to cashback program, a circular economy model, is being implemented by BENRO in partnership with Basic Environmental Systems Technology Inc. It provides a system where every participant in segregation and recycling can track their progress as to volume in a kilogram of recyclables remitted, and environmental points earned, that can later be redeemed in exchange for goods, or grocery items.
“Waste management through proper segregation and disposal improves the health and sanitation of the community. Teaching communities, like 4Ps, with knowledge and incentivizing their segregation effort by giving them livelihood access through recycling will influence their behavior on waste management,” Trespuentes said during the training.
She added that proper waste management should start at home, and 4Ps beneficiaries could be potential partners in the implementation of the program at the barangay level.
“The system of recording has been proven to recognize initiatives just like the recent Bacolod City 4Ps participation in our MassKara PET bottle collection campaign,” Trespuentes stressed.
Municipal action team leader Ryan Cezar, who initiated this training, said that the 4Ps Trash to Cash Back project is set to be implemented this month.
“This is to address the gaps in social adequacy on proper garbage disposal of 4Ps members. This project will not only give them the chance to redeem points in exchange for their trash to a kilo of rice, but can also give them additional knowledge, awareness, and self-discipline in the proper disposal of their garbage,” he explained.
The session was also attended by Dorell Pascua, social welfare officer III of the Negros Occidental Provincial Operations Office. ||
