Recovery facility in Malapascua eyed

CEBU, Philippines – How Boracay Island has dealt with its mountain of garbage will be replicated in Malapascua Island through the construction of a Materials Recovery Facility under the P1.7-million Malapascua Solid Waste Management Project.

The said project has generated income for Boracay with the sale of recyclable products brought to the materials recovery facility, and the production of vermicompost from biodegradable waste; and that this is seen to benefit Malapascua also.

The central office of the Department of Tourism recently sent Glenn Sacapaño, operations manager of the Boracay Solid Waste Action Team, to Malapascua so he would be able to share his experience and expertise on how to properly deal with the mounting piles of trash which, in fact, they already tagged as the “Smokey Mountain of Boracay.”

Sacapaño, village chief of Balabag which is one of three barangays in Boracay Island of Malay town in Aklan province, shared before owners of establishments, residents and officials of barangay Logon in Malapascua how they had almost given up hope of finding the most appropriate and cost-effective solution to the garbage problem in their area, as they deemed it hard to control the improper disposal of garbage there considering the volume of local and foreign tourists visiting the place and the increasing number of commercial establishments.

Further, Sacapaño shared on how the DOT “rescued” Boracay sometime in 2000. “Maswerte kayo dito dahil hindi pa naging malaking problema ang basura ninyo. Nandiyan na ang DOT na tumutulong,” he said before the community leaders, barangay officials, and commercial establishment owners who attended the sectoral meeting.

“Kailangan ang sipag at commitment ng lahat,” he added.

Because of the success of the project in Boracay, the place now serves as one of the destinations for the Lakbay Aral Program wherein barangay captains and other implementers of the project are asked to speak on their expertise in the methods of implementation. — Gregg M. Rubio/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)