Development projects for Calajunan residents identified
The Social Development Component (SDC) geared for the various families found at the city's sanitary landfill facility(SLF) location in Calajunan, Mandurriao has already been identified with some already starting its implementation.
The SDC is aimed to eradicate waste picking activities in the Calajunan Disposal Area since the moment this will be fully converted into a landfill, picking of garbage will no longer be allowed as stated in Republic Act 9003.
It has been learned that at present, there are 158 families who are involved in wastepicking and has made this their primary source of living.
In a recently-outlined wastepicker's socio-economic development plan, the affected families manifested an interest in being given livelihood opportunities within and outside the scope of SLF. Hence, the city's Solid Waste Management Board (ICSWMB) chaired by Mayor Jerry P. Treñas in partnership with GTZ, a German cooperation agency, have scheduled a series of activities to achieve some of the goals identified by the wastepickers in their development plan.
Some of the activities identified that are non solid-waste management (SWM) related are animal husbandry, vulcanizing, carpentry, driving, handicrafts and other job opportunities of existing skills.
The SWM-related livelihood activities on the other hand, are composting, sourcing, applying cover material for residual waste and waste trading in the city outside the dumpsite. They will also be trained to gather recyclables from institutional and commercial establishments for trading.
One of the non-SWM activity that was recently implemented was dress-making for women wastepickers. Used imported industrial sewing machines are on order from money donated by ICSWMB Robinson's Place-Iloilo, SM City Iloilo, International Builders Corporation, General Geary Barias , Central Philippine University through Prof. Aurora Lim and from friends of ICSWMB members and GTZ.
A GTZ sponsored workshop is scheduled for April 12-15, 2007 in Guimaras for
Wastepickers. By that time, the sewing machines should have arrived and delivered.
During the workshop, trainers will mentor our wastepickers on basic sewing skills needed to produce products such as conference kits, bags, hats, belts, cellphone holders
and many more from recyclable products.
GTZ will initiate marketing and trading avenues for all finished products from
these activities although in the end, the wastepickers through the officers of their association should be able to establish their own marketing network.
(PIO/ICSWMB)