DETAILED RESEARCH &

DEVELOPMENT PROJECT PROPOSAL

(1) PROJECT PROFILE

Project Title: Sustainable Recycling and Reuse: Trash to Cash Program for Municipality of
Columbio, Sultan Kudarat
Project Leader/Sex: Lauro Domondon / Male
Agency: MENRO Columbio
Address/Telephone/Fax/E-mail: [email protected]

(2) COOPERATING AGENCIES

Local Government Unit of Columbio

Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office Columbio

(3) SITE OF IMPLEMENTATION/MUNICIPALITY/DISTRICT/

PROVINCE/REGION

Columbio, Province of Sultan Kudarat, Region XII

(4) RATIONALE

Millions of people yet there are Billions of trashes. Single-use plastic has long been
an issue for the environment, COVID-19 and the very real safety concerns about cross-
contamination have made it worse as more people have started using it again. Plastic bottles,
used straw, old newspaper and other things we considered waste can help people in many
ways. Recycling trash is an activity where we make something new from something that has
been used before. We can actually make money out of it. With the use of these money, we
can indeed help people. Recycling trash also contributes to have cleaner community and
unpolluted surroundings. Those trash that once were wasted will now be used to provide new
and fresher Environment.

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 According to the Republic of the Philippines under Republic Act No. 9003 or the so
called Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000; ESWM is an act of creating or
providing a necessary institutional mechanism and incentives, declaring certain acts
prohibited and providing penalties, appropriating funds therefore, and for other purposes.
Because of this law the safety of the environment is now on top just like the proper
segregation, collection, transport, storage, treatment, and disposal of solid waste through the
formation and adoption of the best environmental practice in ecological. Because of this law
the municipality of Columbio have been implementing a City Ordinance No. 0017, which
also aim to improve the living condition of the people through proper environmental
management.

This proposed trash to cash through recycling and reuse project is vital to heighten
community awareness on the importance of reducing the environmental impacts of solid
waste disposal. The targeted population is situated among priceless natural resources of
forestry, watershed areas, rivers, and rare wildlife and plant life. Improper disposal of solid
waste material poses a threat of soil and water contamination which could damage the
ecosystems of the plants, animals, and fresh water sources in the area. To abate this pending
catastrophe, the Sustainable Recycling and Reuse Project Pilot seeks to provide
environmental education material to community residents of the targeted population and
gathering pertinent data that identifies diversified recycling and reuse methods that are
beneficial for sustainable community development.

Moreover, the community must adopt certain policies which will promote cleanliness
and zero-waste free environment. The researcher aims to diminish plastics and other non-
biodegradable and recyclable wastes and turn them into cash which will fund the schools’
different activities and programs. It is beneficial both for the environment and the people,
especially among the pupils to be able to properly segregate waste.

Under the program, residents can trade their recyclable materials to "environmental
points" (EPs) which can be exchanged for basic goods such as rice, eggs, vegetables, and
other essential grocery items. The recyclable materials — paper and cardboard; plastic; tin,
aluminum, and other metal products — can be brought at the initial designated drop-off point
in Columbio.  

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 (5) REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Solid Waste Mismanagement

Plastics are not only essential to the Philippine economy (they contributed US$2.3
billion in 2018), but they also provide low-cost consumer goods to low- and middle-income
families. However, the Philippines' reliance on single-use plastics such as multilayer sachets
and pouches has led to the country becoming a "sachet economy," worsening the region's
alarming levels of marine plastic pollution. According to certain estimates, the Philippines
consumes a whopping 163 million sachets per day.

Like many other rapidly developing countries, it is grappling with unsustainable

plastic production and consumption, and insufficient solid waste management infrastructure.
Every year, the Philippines generates 2.7 million tons of plastic waste, with an estimated 20%
ending up in the ocean. With over 7,500 islands, the Philippines' coastal communities, as well
as the fishing, shipping, and tourism industries, are particularly vulnerable to the effects of
marine debris.

The Philippines is the world's third-largest contributor to plastic pollution, with

estimates ranging from 2.7 to 5.5 million metric tons produced each year, 20% of which leaks
into the surroundings. Unmanaged plastic waste might reach 9 million metric tons by 2040
and 11 million metric tons by 2060 if no interventions are implemented. Leakage from open
landfills is a major source of plastic pollution. In recent years, the widespread use of single-
use plastics, particularly sachets, has exacerbated the problem.

Understanding the urgent need to address the growth of the plastics industry and
mismanagement of plastic waste, the Philippines is developing and transitioning toward a
circular economy. This study uses a plastic value chain approach to evaluate the Philippines’
plastics recycling industry and its role in supporting a circular economy. It identifies major
challenges, market drivers and opportunities for scaling-up recycling efforts via targeted
public and private sector interventions.

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Solid Waste Management in Mindanao, Sultan Kudarat

Many areas in Regions 11 (Southern Mindanao), 9 (Western Mindanao) and 12

(Soccsksargen) have completed their 10-year solid waste management plans, Esperanza was
once ranked as the third (3rd) dirtiest municipality. As a river town, the 47 barangays of the
municipality occasionally flood, and because it is customary in the area to burn or dump
waste into nearby bodies of water when flooding occurs, garbage is abundant and exposes
vulnerable members of the community to diseases.

The municipality is primarily made up of different tribes and communities. As a

result, implementing the program has been difficult due to differences in language, culture,
education, and road accessibility. On the other hand, our local executive saw it as a challenge.
The solid waste management program was expanded to address the problem of careless waste
dumping and burning.

Columbio, a municipality in Sultan Kudarat, came under fire from state auditors because
its sanitary landfill did not meet the bare minimum standards established by Republic Act
9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. As the LGU keeps on benchmarking
on the best practices of the other LGUs, Esperanza has innovated its own practice in applying
the Proper Solid Waste Management Program to strict enforcement of the provisions of the
Municipal Comprehensive Solid Waste Management (SWM) Ordinance. This includes filing
of sixteen (16) cases of SWM violations in the proper courts for violating the forecited
ordinance, two (2) of which was issued with a warrant of arrest and one (1) filed with
resistance and disobedience in the person of authority (clean and green taskforce issuing
citation ticket) and the other one was the SWM violator not attending a court hearing for the
SWM filed the case.

Solid Waste Management Programs in the Past Years (2015- present)

Due to the fast population and economic growth in the Philippines, waste generation
has accelerated, which has contributed to environmental degradation. Only about 21% and
4% of the Local Government Units (LGUs) in the nation, respectively, are served by
municipal recovery facilities and sanitary landfills, despite the passage of RA 9003 law in
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2001. The country's solid waste management practices could still be deemed ineffective or
inefficient.

All Local Government Units were required to implement appropriate waste

management practices and enforce the act within their respective jurisdictions under the
Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, or RA 9003. The act served as a solution
to the growing solid waste problem brought on by urbanization, improper waste disposal, and
other environmental problems as well as the rising population.
In 2016, the LGU initiated the Trash-Free Philippines where cities and municipalities
of every region are required to submit their proposed 10-year Solid Waste Management plan,
to be approved for budgeting and planning. So far, out of over 1500 SWM plans, 72% are
approved and 27% are pending for approval. These programs include closing of illegal
dumpsites, opening operational sanitary landfills, providing SWM facilities with the proper
equipment, managing hospital and COVID-19- related health care wastes, and providing
Waste Analysis and Characterization studies.
The Carbon Partnership Facility collaborated with the Land Bank Philippines to urge
local governments and commercial operators to shut existing dumpsites and replace them
with sanitary landfills. The participating operators create sanitary landfills by building landfill
gas collecting systems that catch, flare, and/or burn methane to generate energy. The revenue
generated by the sale of certified emissions reductions provides the necessary funding to
allow landfill site owners and operators to properly capture greenhouse gas emissions, use an
environmentally friendly flare system, and even generate electricity from the recovered gas to
sell back to the grid.

Waste to Cash Programs in Philippines

A trash-to-cash program in Cagayan de Oro City that uses an e-wallet for the purchase
points earned from recycling materials was officially launched this week. The local
government in Mindanao, in the country's south, is the first to use the bXTRA app developed
by Basic Environmental Systems and Technologies, Inc. (BEST), a division of publicly
traded company IPM Holdings, Inc.

The Trash to CashBack Program is designed to incentivize residents and commercial

establishments to separate their waste at the source, according to a statement from the city

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government. You can make purchases with the bXTRA points in partner stores like
supermarkets.

Meanwhile, in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat Province it opened its P4 million

sanitary landfill last week in and demonstrated why it is a leader in the fight against sanitary
landfill (SLF). The SLF is the first of its kind in Mindanao and has the capacity to handle up
to 75 tons of waste per day.
Tacurong City is one of the first local governments in Mindanao to take its garbage
issue seriously. The city received praise for its success in charging residents and businesses
environmental management fees. The money has allowed Tacurong's waste management
initiative to cover a large portion of its expenses.
Its executives received praise for their steadfast dedication to pursuing proper waste
management. Atty. Andin commended the city for setting the standard for solid waste
management in Mindanao. He also acknowledged USAID's EcoGov Project for the
Philippines for assisting local government units (LGUs) in adhering to the nation's Solid
Waste Management Act. Tacurong's sanitary landfill, which is 5,000 square meters in size
and is situated on a 4-hectare plot of land, has plenty of room for expansion. The site is also
home to a tree nursery and a demonstration farm that will use the compost produced there as
well as the city's facilities for resource recovery and waste recycling.
Plastic Credit Exchange (PCX) announced the expansion of its Aling Tindera waste-
to-cash initiative with the municipality of Marilao, providing additional opportunities for the
community to address its plastic waste problem, months after introducing its first waste
collection station in Marilao through SM Cares. The cooperation was established on
February 7, 2022, by Marilao Mayor Ricardo M. Silvestre and PCX Impact Director Ilusion
Farias.
Marilao's local government worked hard to implement environmental programs, as proven by
its natural park, Liwasang Pangkalikasan ng Marilao, which includes one of the country's
largest Material Recovery Facilities. The Aling Tindera trash-to-cash initiative is integrated
into the company's present infrastructure as part of its attempts to make garbage management
more accessible to its inhabitants.

Awareness Campaigns and Advocacies of SWM in the Philippines

Sections 55-56 of Republic Act 9003, or The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, state
that the Philippine National Government, in collaboration with the Department of Education

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(DepEd) and other educational institutions, should conduct a continuing education and
information campaign on Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices and strengthen the
integration of environmental concerns in school curricula at all levels, with a focus on the
theories and practices of SWM. As a result, the general public is becoming more aware of
SWM practices.

Benny D. Antiporda, Undersecretary of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for

Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units (LGUs) Concerns, sees the recent
inclusion of plastic softdrink straws and plastic coffee stirrers in the country's list of non-
environmentally acceptable products (NEAP) as a significant boost in the government's solid
waste management initiative.

According to Antiporda, the latest development strengthens DENR's resolve to pursue solid
waste management activities under the Tayo ang Kalikasan (TAK) program.
With the inclusion of these two items in the NEAP, they are more motivated to uphold the
mandate and advocate for solid waste management, despite the country's lingering pandemic.
Following the inclusion of plastic softdrink straws and plastic coffee stirrers on the NEAP
list, Antiporda stated that DENR regional offices, such as the DENR-MIMAROPA, have
increased their TAK campaign, which primarily aims to increase people's awareness of
Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, with the end
goal of significantly reducing the volume of plastic wastes and preventing them from
polluting the environment.
In honor of World Environment Month, young members from Mintal, Davao City, conducted
a series of events to encourage awareness and participation in solid waste management.
Since 2018, the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) of Barangay Mintal has been executing the
Kabataan Para sa Kalikasan initiative, which aims to engage young people in different
environmental activities. This year, the focus of Kabataan para sa Kalikasan was on
repurposing the tarpaulins used in the 2022 elections. A total of 70 youth members
participated in the activity, including barangay youth responders, Mintal Comprehensive
High School boy scouts, alternative learning system students, and Mintal Elementary School
students.

(6) OBJECTIVES

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 This project aims to provide understanding of the vulnerabilities informal waste
sector. MENRO Columbio will incentivizes women owned sari-sari stores to become
collection points for post-consumer plastic waste and establishes the community
infrastructure for the aggregating, storing, and efficient transport of the waste to partner
processing facilities. Specifically:

1. Heighten awareness on the importance of proper solid waste disposal.

2. Promote the 3 R Philosophies of solid waste management particularly Reduce, Reuse,
and Recycle of materials found in environment.
3. With the goal of incentivizing communities to participate in waste management,
4. To serve as an aggregation hub where any community member may sell post-
consumer plastic by kilogram
5. To engage women micro-entrepreneurs to manage stations that serve as collection
points where post-consumer plastic waste is exchanged for cash
6. To promote more organized informal sector of waste collectors, cleaner environments
and improved health.

(7) PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND METHODOLOGY

Community Outreach Activities

Environmental Education Workshops:
As the educational component of the Sustainable Recycling and Reuse Project - Pilot,
workshop will be offered on one platform – Event. Event Location workshops are designed
for adult participants. This community outreach effort is designed to provide awareness and
education on the importance of sustainable solid waste disposal practices and gather
relevant information of project research.

Participants will be engaged in:

1. Solid Waste Management Presentations

Participants will observe presentations with surveys provided pre and post presentation to
gather data on participant awareness on topics of solid waste disposal and environmental
impacts.

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Methodology
Presentations will be conducted by purok leaders of their respective areas of expertise
on information relevant to the project purpose.

Expected Output:
Handout material distributed to provide convenient tips for daily use and solutions
made available through the project.

Trash to Cash Mechanics

The first step of the program is on the barangay level where officials will identify a
drop-off point in their own community. Residents may bring their recyclables like metal,
papers, PET bottles, single-use plastics (SUP) such as shampoo sachets, coffee packs, and
even online shopping plastic packages.

At the drop-off points, residents may choose whether to keep the EPs for themselves
or if not, they have the option to donate them to beneficiaries from various sectors who are
identified by the village officials. The barangay’s chosen beneficiaries will then receive
groceries or “incentive bags” from MENRO Columbio in exchange for the accumulated EPs
donated by the residents. The incentive bag will include rice, vegetables from our urban
farms, and other necessities. MENRO Columbio will ensure that these food packages and
groceries will be given and distributed to those in need, especially the most vulnerable sectors
of the municipality.

Eventually, the city government plans to introduce the program to different

establishments such as malls, hotels, and restaurants where MENRO Columbio will directly
pick up the collected recyclables from their drop-off points. In Figure 1 below, the following
activities of the Cash-to-Cash Program are laid out.

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 Environmental Education Workshops
Information Dessimination
1

Officials will identify a drop-off point in their own community.

Residents may bring their recyclables to drop off point
2
At the drop-off points, residents may choose whether to keep the
Environmental Points for themselves or if not, they have the
option to donate them to beneficiaries from various sectors who
3 are identified by the village officials.

Trade their recyclable materials to "environmental points" (EPs)

which can be exchanged for basic goods such as rice, eggs,
4 vegetables, and other essential grocery items

Figure 1. Flow chart of Trash to Cash Program

Focus Group Session

Following the play, participants will be engaged in group discussions to identify key
areas of concerns related to solid waste disposal and solutions to make sustainable changes
for the future.

Methodology:
Various data collection tools will be used to obtain pertinent information. Sessions
will be recorded for detailed notation of discussions. Dictation will be completed from the
recordings to document the issues and solutions that arise during the sessions.

Expected Outputs:
Focus group sessions provide an opportunity to collect project evaluation data along
with R&D data to properly assess project effectiveness and needs of the community.

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Ongoing Public Service Announcement - Ad Campaign

To promote awareness of the project’s purpose and to encourage community

participation in recycling plastic containers, public service announcements will be aired on
Columbio Radio Station twice a week with campaign ads played throughout each broadcast.
With radio broadcast on Radio aired to promote scheduled events.

Methodology
Campaign material will be created to illustrate the objectives of the project and the
coinciding activity scheduled following the broadcast date. Columbio Radio Station will also
provide video coverage during workshops and community outreach events give updates
through news reports.

Expected Outputs:
Exposure through 104 days of advertising the projects’ purpose is designed to
increase community participation in activities. Footage of project activities will be made
available on DVD and shared with communities for an increased awareness of project
benefits.

Community Clean-up

Through the help of workshop participants and community volunteers, areas blighted
with improperly disposed solid waste will be cleaned. This activity is providing
improvements to the quality of life for community impacted and is intended to instill a
conscience mindset of environmental responsibility.

Methodology
During workshop, participants will be requested to sign-up for a to-be scheduled
community clean-up. Clean-up locations will be identified based community need assessed
and volume of participants that sign-up. Clean-ups will be scheduled with transportation
provided for volunteer to travel to multiple locations per day. This will allow the group work
more efficiently and cost effectively. Incentives for participation per clean-up day include a
BBQ Social and an award of five (5) tickets for an Environmental Education Field Trip.
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Expected Output:
It is anticipated to recruit workshop participants to work along with community
organization volunteers to clean ten (10) locations in the targeted population communities.

(8) TARGET ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND EXPECTED OUTPUT

1. Environmental Education Seminar conducted.

2. Fifteen (15) pilot plastic recycling sites established.
3. Establish a Recycling and Reuse Facility.
2. participant awareness on topics of solid waste disposal and environmental impacts.
• Handout material distributed to provide convenient tips for daily use and solutions
made available through the project.
•
• Officials will identify a drop-off point in their own community
• Following the play, participants will be engaged in group discussions to identify key
areas of concerns related to solid waste disposal and solutions to make sustainable
changes for the future.
• Focus group sessions provide an opportunity to collect project evaluation data along
with R&D data to properly assess project effectiveness and needs of the community.
• Exposure through 104 days of advertising the projects’ purpose is designed to
increase community participation in activities. Footage of project activities will be
made available on DVD and shared with communities for an increased awareness of
project benefits.
• It is anticipated to recruit workshop participants to work along with community
organization volunteers to clean ten (10) locations in the targeted population
communities.

4. More organized informal sector of waste collectors; cleaner environments and improved
health.

(9) TARGETS BENEFICIARIES

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Residents of the Municipality of Columbio, Sultan Kudarat

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(10) BUGETARY REQUIREMENTS

12- Month Project Budget

Project Activity Expenses Rate Qty Total Grant Funding
Information

Focus Group Discussion

Trash to cash

Ad campaigns

Page 14 of 17
(11) LITERATURE CITED

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Management and Rate of Accumulation in Schools in Mati City, Mindanao Island,
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World Bank. (2022, February 11). Solid Waste Management. World Bank.
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Adiong, E. Y. (2022, September 8). Cash for trash launched in Bacolod. The Manila Times.

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bacolod/1857610

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Cabuag, V. G. (2022, July 20). SMC unit joins QC government’s trash-to-cash program -

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governments-trash-to-cash-program/

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Antiporda - SWMD. Emb.gov.ph. https://nswmc.emb.gov.ph/?p=4225

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environment. Daily Guardian. https://www.dailyguardian.com.ph/trash-to-cash-aims-to-

help-residents-earn-and-save-the-environment/

Lapinga, S. (2022, June 28). Mintal youth intensify solid waste management campaign in

partnership with PHINLA. World Vision Philippines.

https://www.worldvision.org.ph/campaigns/phinla-campaign-mintal-youth/

Mateo, J. (2018, February). Quezon City rolls out “trash to cash” program. Philstar.com.

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program

Molina, R. A., & Catan, I. (2021). Solid Waste Management Awareness and Practices among

Senior High School Students in a State College in Zamboanga City, Philippines.

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Santos, S. (2020). DENR EV launches Solid Waste Management Advocacy Campaign.

R8.Denr.gov.ph. https://r8.denr.gov.ph/index.php/news-events/press-releases/2224-denr-

ev-launches-solid-waste-management-advocacy-campaign

Traso, B. (2022, February 11). Aling Tindera Waste-to-Cash Program Expands to Marilao,

Bulacan - Plastic Credit Exchange. Www.plasticcreditexchange.com.

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https://www.plasticcreditexchange.com/aling-tindera-waste-to-cash-program-expands-to-

marilao-bulacan/

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