Bago and Manapla were named champions in the city and municipality categories, respectively, of this year’s provincial search for Best LGU Compliant with Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
Bago City won P20,000 in cash prize, while San Carlos City took home P15,000 as 1st placer, Sagay City – 2nd place, P10,000; and Cadiz City – 3rd place, P7,000 in cash prize. Sipalay City – 4th place, and Escalante City – 5th place, were given plaques of appreciation.
Manapla as champion in the municipality category also bagged P20,000 in cash prize; Pulupandan – 1st place, P15,000; Murcia – 2nd place, P10,000; and Calatrava – 3rd place, P7,000 in cash prize. E.B. Magalona – 4th place, and Candoni – 5th place, each received a plaque of appreciation.
Special awards, like Best Active Barangays in Implementing the Segregation at Source and Segregation at Collection, won by Barangay Tinampa-an, Cadiz City, and Barangay Purisima, Manapla, respectively, were also given. Each barangay will receive P3,000, a Capitol press release said.
Sixteen individual awards were received by SWM Focal Persons (FP) of the 31 LGUs.
Engr. John Joseph Banaja of Bago City and Engr. Elean Buenavista of Escalante City received the Best FP Award in Implementing SWM Innovations with P3,000 in cash prize each; Donah Gelasing of Sipalay City and Bituin Fontanilla of Sagay City, Best FP Award in Implementing Effective Management of Central MRF, P2,500 each;
Engr. Arthur Batomalaque of San Carlos City and Eduardo Florendo of Candoni, Best FP Award in Implementing IEC on SWM, P3,000 in cash prize each; Engr. John Joseph Banaja of Bago City and Engr. Arthur Batomalaque of San Carlos, Best FP Award in Implementing Effective Enforcement Program, P2,500 each; Engr. Elean Buenavista of Escalante City and Lu Francis Gabas of Calatrava, Best FP Award in Implementing Waste Diversion Strategies, P2,500 in cash prize each;
Engr. Arthur Batomalaque of San Carlos City and Engr. John Joseph Banaja of Bago City, Best FP Award in Implementing SWM Database, P3,000 in cash prize each; Paul Jesaz Aguiree of Cadiz City and Donah Gelasing of Sipalay City, Best FP Award in Implementing Waste Recording System (generated/collected/diverted), P2,500 each; and Engr. Warren Paduano of Talisay City and Engr. Elean Buenavista of Escalante City, Best Active SWM FP, P3,500 in cash prize each.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Negros Occidental and Provincial Environment Management Office announced the winners during the 4th Quarter Provincial Solid Waste Management Board (PSWMB) meeting at TLDC Function Hall recently.
The activity was attended by Provincial SWM Board members and Provincial SWM- Technical Working Group members, the PEMO SWM Team, led by Dr. Eriberto Madalag, Sheila Joan Bautista, Ria Dada, and Rodolfo Sapalo Jr., Environmental Management Bureau-DENR Negros Occidental Team, led by Engr. Victor Thomas Ureta, and the Kapitolyo Solid Waste Management Educators. ||