Tagbilaran Plastic Recycling Innovation

A person throws an average of 2 kilos of garbage per day. Imagine Tagbilaran City with a population of 105,051 (2015 Census), how much kilos of garbage are being thrown in the dump site in a daily basis? I’ll leave the math to you but yes, that’s a lot.

So when the City Government orders the closure of the used to be open dumpsite in Dampas last year, people would really fret. Good thing the government always has green measures to resolve the problem.

Last February 7, 2018, the City had launched a historic moved to reduce plastic waste. In partnership with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) headed by Ms. Aya Kano, Keio University represented by Yang Wanglin and Yutaka Tokushima, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) -Bohol representative Rey Regis, Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (KALIPI) Tagbilaran President Berlie Reyes and Hon. John Geesnell Yap, Mayor of Tagbilaran City signed the Plastic Recycling Program for Improving Women’s Income program.

The signing of MOA for the Plastic Recycling Program for Improving Women's Income (L-R: Yan Wanglin of Keio University, Mrs. Berlie Reyes of KALIPI - Tagbilaran, Hon. John Geesnell Yap, Tagbilaran City Mayor and Aya Kano of JICA with Tagbilaran City Officials at the background)

The program aims to provide heat press which can be used to process plastic materials into new materials to 15 Barangays of Tagbilaran City, provide them assistance and training on how to use the machine, business models and product design using the plastic materials. The program is a 2 year partnership with a pilot project last year with Brgy. Cogon from the help of DTI – Bohol.

Tagbilaran City Mayor - Hon. John Geesnell Yap checking out the sample outputs from the recycled plastics that were processed using the heat press machine.

 Sample outputs from the recycled plastics that were processed using the heat press machine. Plastic materials were processed to become a new materials of production.

The program aims to reduce the plastic waste in the City following its strict implementation of the Garbage segregation ordinance and at the same time adding income to mothers and women in the community through KALIPI, a non-stock, non-profit, and non-political organization committed to respond to the needs of women by organizing them from the grassroots level with aims to genuinely promote women development and empowerment by harnessing their strengths and developing their potentials to the fullest. DTI through its partner agencies which help established the first Fabrication Laboratory in the Philippines (Fab Lab) in Bohol in Bohol Island State University (BISU) conducted several skills and knowledge training to prepare the City. Hon. John Geesnell Yap retaliated that it wants to promote Tagbilaran City not just an Innovation Center of the country but one of the forerunners when it comes to circular economy.

Photo Op: JICA Staff, LGU of Tagbilaran, Keio University Reps and KALIPI Members of Tagbilaran City

So next time when picking a destination to go to for a vacation always make sure that, aside from the green policies that it in place to protect the ecosystem, it has a lasting impact to the sustainable economy and its community. This also means we have to do our share as a responsible tourist, refuse the use of single-use plastics, segregate our own trash and dispose them properly. With this we are not only enjoying the beautiful places we are also ensuring that they will last for the next generation.