6 brgys win eco awards

CEBU, Philippines - Six barangays in Cebu City were given cash incentives by the City Government for being adjudged the cleanest barangays and for being most compliant with the city’s solid waste management program.

The Search for the Mayor’s Environmental Awards chose the top three barangays for three different categories – urban, coastal and upland barangays.

Barangay Luz bested others for the urban barangay category, Tinago for the coastal barangay category and Agsungot for the upland barangay category. They received P500,000 cash incentives each and a certificate of recognition.

The runners up were barangay Quiot for the urban barangay category, Ermita for the coastal barangay category and Pulang-bato for the upland barangay category.

They received P200,000 cash incentives each and a certificate of recognition.

The Mayor’s Environmental Award was created last year when the City closed the Inayawan Landfill for any forms of dumping and started the No Segregation, No Collection Policy.

It aims to give recognition by providing incentives to barangays who will comply with the law and will cooperate with the city in its solid waste management program such as the “Gubat sa Basura” and “No Segregation, No Collection” policy.

A total of 33 barangays participated in the search. The 27 finalists received P3,000 as consolation prize.

They are barangays Sto. Niño, Carreta, Tejero, Cogon Pardo, San Roque, Duljo Fatima, Mambaling, Suba, Inayawan, Poblacion Pardo, Punta Princesa, Calamba, Camputhaw, Banilad, Zapatera, Cogon Ramos, Kamagayan, Sta. Cruz, Apas, Tisa, San Antonio, Pahina San Nicolas, Pahina Central, Malubog, Buhisan, Budlaan and Binaliw.

The winners must use their incentives for programs or projects that will further improve their respective barangays in terms of cleanliness and environmental friendliness.

Agsungot Barangay Captain Pastor Alcover II said his barangay will use the P500,000 cash they received from the city government to expand their vermicomposting project to their schools.

He said they will also embark on a greening project where they will plant trees of their preference to prevent landslides in their place.

Engineer Amancio Dongcoy of the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (EMB-DENR) said that barangays were judged based on their compliance with Republic Act 9003 and the over-all aesthetics of the barangay.

Awardees have complied with the requirement to have a Material Recovery Facility, composting area, over-all sanitation which includes beautification of their area and compliance with the segregation policy.

The winning barangays underwent three screenings and evaluations.

Mayor Michael Rama awarded them yesterday.  (FREEMAN)