BALER, Aurora — The municipal government, through the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO), has made a great leap in lessening the waste problems in this town.
Likewise, MENRO is strict on the government mandates of the law in practicing green good governance, through the implementation of environmental laws, particularly the Ecological Solid Waste Management Law or Republic Act No. 9003.
MENRO chief Maria Liza V. Costa said that through Mayor Nelianto “Pilot” C. Bihasa, they are preserving and protecting Baler’s rich natural resources, maintaining its clean environment, and protecting and conserving communal forests, watersheds and tree parks.
Under the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Program, Costa said the town’s Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) serve as the area where the collected wastes are being managed, recycled, segregated and properly stocked.
She said that there are 2,992 bricks produced; 7,500 kilos of biodegradable waste converted into compost; and 7,800 kilos plastic materials compacted for the 4,500 seedlings in the nursery within a year.
Costa said that some bricks were even used in the beautification of Baler Park.
She said that planting of vegetables, maintenance of SWM equipment and regular cleaning of MRF surroundings are continuously being conducted.
To intensify the program, she said that they are active in the series of information, education and communication campaign (IEC) to enhance awareness of the people of Baler on their commitments and responsibilities on ecological solid waste management (ESWM).
Likewise, Costa said the municipal government conducts regular “Balik Basura Palit Gamit sa Eskwela” as part of their program to the schools in this town.
“All of us play an important role in SWM. This can be done through simple activities and programs that involve the concepts of reducing, reusing and recycling, such as clean-up and recycling drives,” Costa said as she pointed out that green good governance is the key to the effective implementation of the environmental laws.
To strengthen the segregation of waste within the collection and non-collection areas, she said that series of inspections, consultations and interviews to 984 stakeholders were conducted and required them to provide three trash receptacles intended for biodegradable, non-biodegradable and recyclable wastes and labeled as such.
“We encourage them to compost their biodegradable waste and convert them to useful materials such as fertilizers,” she said.
She also said that they organized a mobile inspection team to conduct advance inspection on business establishments wherein the results from the inspection will be the bases for the issuance of ESWM clearance and mayors permit.
Costa said that numerous meetings were convened to determine the status of the implementation of Republic Act 9003.
She said that different activities were also discussed on promoting the town’s advocacies of ESWM implementation.
“We are implementing the segregation of solid waste especially in the collection area wherein specific types of wastes are collected on scheduled days of the week wherein they are collected, segregated, tied and properly sealed,” she said.
The MENRO official said that they have also proposed establishment of a sanitary landfill in Sitio Puntangan, Barangay Pingit wherein meetings and negotiations with the land owner are under process for possible acquisition of proposed road going to the site.
Meanwhile, the collection of wastes covers the public market, all barangays in Poblacion, and some parts of the Barangays of Suklayin, Buhangin, Pingit, Sabang and Zabali from Sunday to Friday.
Tree planting and cleanup activities were also conducted during the environmental month together with the local agencies, barangay officials, schools, non-government organization, people’s organization and other various agencies.
Baler embraces 4,579 hectares of forest and forest lands comprising 49.5 percent of its total land area.
It has about 4,100 hectares of natural forest while the remaining areas are covered with brush land and grassland.
Costa, however, admitted that like the local government units (LGUs), Baler has a long history of forest abuses.
She said that continued constraints are added to the status of the forest with the increasing demand for food and raw materials due to increased number of population.
“If all of us implemented the said law, it would be cleaner, greener and bluer Philippines and hopefully leaders will have the political will to implement the law at full force,” she said.
To compensate for and minimize the stress brought to Baler’s forest and forest covers, she said the local government continues to coordinate with other agencies especially with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Philippine National Police (PNP) to suppress if not totally eliminate illegal forest activities.
Actual inspections of the reported illegal activities were also conducted.
“We also created multi-sectoral forest protection committee to broaden the awareness of the community on the current alarming status of the community’s natural resources in order to embrace the logical importance of it to our lives,” she said.
The committee is composed of three mayors from Dipaculao, Baler and Maria Aurora, 56th Infantry “Tatag” Battalion, Philippine Army, Department of Public Works and Highways, National Commission on Indigenous People, Justice Peace and Action Group (JPAG), media, Kabalikat Civicom and Lyceum of the East-Aurora (LEA).
Likewise, she said that couples applying for marriage license contribute to the propagation of numerous seedlings that are being used for tree plantings.
This is in relation to the town’s local ordinance number 016-2006 wherein couples applying for marriage license are required to donate two seedlings (fruit bearing/shade trees).
On the greening program, Costa said that the municipal government is eager in implementing President Benigno Aquino’s Executive Order Number 26 known as the National Greening Program (NGP) .
She explained that intensive information, education and communication campaign on the importance of protection and conservations of Baler’s remaining natural resources are being carried out in schools, barangays and areas identified as hotspots in the barangays of Pingit and Zabali.
“Forest occupants, residents and even the doer of illegal forestry activities were provided with necessary information and IEC materials on the effect of forest degradation to the community and to the flora and fauna of the place,” Costa added.
She emphasized that they are intensifying continuous coordination with the concerned agencies regarding the monitoring of illegal activities on the jurisdiction of Baler’s forest covers.
“We also develop 154 hectares timber plantation at Barangay Zabali. The project is implemented in line with the NGP under the grassroots participatory budgeting program aimed to reforest the denuded portion of Barangay Zabali mountain. A total of 77,000 narra seedlings will be planted in the place,” she said.
On coastal resources management (CRM), Costa said that the marine ecosystem is the major source of food and income and provides a means of transportation to different villages in Baler and its neighboring towns.
“Though it enabled to provide the necessary need for the community, this town faces many challenges that threaten the health and integrity of the coastal environment,” she said.
Among the usual threats are the siltation from upland activities, continued use of destructive fishing gear, over exploitation of the resources and lack of political will.
She said the municipal government is mandated under the law to develop medium term CRM plans which include preserving ecosystems.
As of this date, Costa said the MENRO is on the process on the formulation of the 10-year CRM plan.
CRM planning workshop has been conducted with representatives from fisherfolk associations, DENR, PNP, other concerned agencies from LGU, officials from coastal barangays, non-government organization (NGO) and academe.
Costa said that the planning workshop made a crucial part in strengthening the CRM division of the MENRO.
With the formulation of the plan, issues and concerns in law enforcement, resource use, land and water use and institutional police concerns are tackled and properly addressed for better management of coastal and marine resources.
“We are active and sincere on educating the public in protecting and preserving the coastal environment. Coordination meetings and other activities are conducted in support to the program,” she added. (Jason de Asis, Philippines News Agency)
See the link below:
Bagong Aurora Website ng Bayan 
You must be logged in to post a comment.