Five high schools in Paranaque City have been trained to promote and effectively manage solid waste and enhance environmental stewardship and resource recovery efforts under a program led by nonprofit organization Communities Organized for Resource Allocation (CORA) in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) Paranaque Division Office.
The activity is part of CORA's Eco-Ikot Sustainable Cities program, which addresses the growing issue of plastic pollution and waste management in the country. By training schools, CORA seeks to encourage practices that will contribute to a more sustainable future for the environment and local communities' well-being.
"We recognize the critical role of schools in shaping the values and behaviors of our future leaders. Through this initiative, we are planting the seeds of hope for our students to understand the pressing challenges and lead the solutions to ensure a just transition as we strengthen solid waste management and circular economy systems. This is our shared mission towards a greener future, one school at a time," CORA Founder and Executive Director Antoinette Taus said.
Sun Valley National High School, Dr. Arcadio Santos National High School, La Huerta National High School, Don Bosco High School, and San Antonio National High School attended the capacity development.
One of the resource speakers was Commissioner Crispian Lao, the Vice Chairman of the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC), who stressed the need for mandatory waste segregation at the source and proper collection by local government units.
He also highlighted the challenges in enforcing the "Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000," including inadequate infrastructure for composting and waste segregation.
Lao also mentioned the recent mandates under the "Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022," which requires 'obliged enterprises' to take responsibility for recovering and recycling the waste generated by their products, mainly plastic waste.
Partnering for a sustainable future
CORA recently signed a partnership with the DepEd Parañaque Division Office to promote the reuse, recycling, and repurposing of waste among participating schools in Paranaque City through the "Eco-Champs Resource Recovery Contest."
The campaign aims to engage secondary schools in Paranaque City in promoting at-source resource recovery while raising students' awareness of proper waste management. The resource recovery contest will run from October to December 2024, during which participating schools compete to collect and divert the highest recyclables.
"We need to create a community that will practice and live in heart and mind of how to care for the environment. Actions should be taken now to promote and improve the waste management system. Campaigns such as the Eco-Champs will help mitigate different impacts of waste pollution," Education Program Supervisor in Science Dr. Corazon Javier said.
The partnership also aims to conduct school learning visits at the Eco-Ikot Center so that students and teachers can experience first-hand the importance of active participation in protecting the environment and promoting eco-friendly habits.
The Eco-Ikot Center is a facility that encourages communities to exchange clean, dry, and segregated recyclables for points, which can be redeemed for various sustainable goods and rewards.
CORA has already set up 'Eco-Ikot Centers' in Paranaque and Manila cities. Currently, it implements the 'Eco-Ikot Sustainable Cities' program, which aims to promote awareness, drive behavioral change, and implement sustainable solutions for waste management.
This program is supported by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Our Sea of East Asia Network (OSEAN).
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