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(From left to right) Deputy Regional Program Coordinator Gerardo Peneda and Hon. Mayor Ma. Rosario Avestruz graced the turn over ceremony of the garbage collection vehicle of Brgy. Duka, Barugo.

Now that Barangays Domogdog and Duka have a garbage collection vehicle, all that residents have to do is carry their collected and segregated garbage from their respective households to the Central Municipal Park. On the other hand, with the biodegradable shredder in Barangays Minuhang and Cabarasan, people can now process and divert their wastes instead of outright disposal.

More than the physical sub-projects, Solid Waste Management is also seen as a solution to alleviate the impoverished and disempowered segments of the society towards human development opportunities and environmental health.

Felipe Cirera, Brgy Chairman of Brgy. Minuhang, said the Php 1 million worth of biodegradable shredder is a big help for the residents in working for a clean environment and protecting the health of the people.

Biodegradable shedder of Brgy. Minuhang, Barugo

He said that in the past, there were so many cases of diseases linked to inappropriate disposal of garbage. The garbage collector vehicle will benefit 94 households and 102 households in Brgy. Domogdog and Brgy. Duka, respectively, while the biodegradable shedders, 455 households of Brgy. Minuhang and 178 households of Brgy. Cabarasan, all of Barugo town in Leyte province.

DSWD Field Office VIII under Regional Director Marie Angeli Gopalan recently turned over the above mentioned community-identified sub- projects of KALAHI CIDSS program to the total 15 prioritized barangays of the municipality. Not only the four mentioned barangays identified Solid Waste Management facilities as their sub-projects, but the 11 others, too.

Municipal Mayor Ma. Rosario Avestruz is one with the DSWD KALAHI CIDSS in attaining Zero Waste Management through the Community-Driven Development approach. In the turn – over ceremony, Mayor Avestruz emphasized – “All together, let’s attain Zero Waste Management in Barugo. And we will be forever grateful to DSWD Kalahi CIDSS because it teaches us that great services are not done by one person alone because definitely it is done by group of people. It is manifested today that the sub project was realized through the collective effort of everyone.”

On the other hand, according to Engr. Polcomar Ponce, the Kalahi CIDSS Focal, Barugo is implementing 12 commandments as a clear road map to support the Zero Waste Management campaign. First commandment is to pass the ecological solid waste ordinance. Their ten-year Solid Waste Management plan is already approved in the Environmental Management Bureau.

The Municipal Local Government Unit has contributed in-kind to conduct training on the actual operation of the shredder and on the garbage collector vehicle for Community Volunteers and barangay officials of all the 15 prioritized barangays. Department of Social Welfare and Development tapped a partner in the academe, the Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU), for the formulation and packaging of the Barangay Development Plan and creation of the Solid Waste Management Community-Monitoring System for all the sub-projects.

Turn over ceremony in Brgy. Cabarasan led by (From left to right) DRPM Gerardo Peneda , Brgy. Chairman Clinio A Balais , EVSU representative Ma. Wendy Velarde and Hon. Mayor Ma. Rosario Avestruz.
Brgy. Domogdog’s garbage collection vehicle with its garage.

Ma. Wendy Velarde of EVSU said, “The EVSU is always open for any partnership with DSWD. We are one in protecting and preserving the environment.” Kalahi CIDSS program, through Community-Driven Development strategy, encourages the residents to actively participate and voice out their concerns especially on projects that are helpful to them.#