Villar bats for solid waste management; asks LGUs to properly use composting facilities from DENR

CITING the World Health Organization (WHO) warning that serious health risks will further demoralize communities already traumatized by Covid-19, Sen. Cynthia Villar urged Local Government Units (LGUs) to properly use the composting facilities from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

She also mentioned the remark of the International Solid Waste Association that "Waste Management is one of the most important sanitary barriers to prevent transmission of diseases".

Villar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, sent her video message as a special guest during the ceremonial turn-over of solid waste management equipment to the cities and municipalities of Laguna province.

"To bring about a substantial reduction of the solid wastes, we generate, we should compose the biodegradable wastes, and we recycle those wastes that are suitable to organic fertilizer which farmers can use for free and help in improving the degradation of the soil in the Philippine which is at 38% at present level.

She also told the DENR about the importance of the essence of time when it comes to protecting the environment.

"To the DENR and the PITC (Philippine International Trading Corp.), I hope no more problem in the distribution of these equipment to the remaining 6 provinces and Metro Manila LGUs. Let us not tolerate delays, but should act swiftly," said Villar, referring to the distribution of the remaining solid waste management equipment.

Based on DENR records, Villar said the LGUs in Pampanga received the first batch of equipment. She said, Laguna was lucky enough as it came next.

The 30 composting facilities given to Laguna LGUs were included in the procurement of 178 biodegradable waste shredders and composters that will be distributed to the LGUs comprising the Manila Bay watershed. They will be used for the further clean-up and rehabilitation of Manila Bay.

The Manila Bay watershed covers 16 cities and one municipality in Metro Manila and 8 provinces--Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, Nueva Ecija and Tarlac in Region 3, and the provinces of Cavite, Rizal and Laguna in Region 4-A.

Aside from being part of the Manila Bay clean-up strategy, Villar said these composting facilities will help LGUs to comply with the provisions of RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Wastes Management Act.

"The law mandates the segregation, composting, and recycling of wastes," said Villar as she thanked the DENR, represented by Usec. Benny Antiporda and DENR- Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Director William Cuñado, and (Philippine International Trading) PITC President Dave Almarines, for distributing the equipment.

Villar, a long-time advocate of proper waste management, had established their own composting centers in her hometown in Las Pinas City. She said kitchen and garden wastes collected from households in the city were brought to the composting facility.

At present, Villar said Las Pinas have 80 composters utilized by over 80,000 households producing monthly 60 tons of organic fertilizer given for free to farmers and urban gardeners.

The senator disclosed that the biodegradable wastes processed in the composting facility make up around 50% of the total garbage generated by the city.

As a congresswoman from 2001 to 2010, Villar embarked on saving the Las Piñas-Zapote River from wastes. Her efforts were recognized by the United Nations (UN) as "Water for Life Best Water Management Practices in 2011."