NGOs, LGUs urged to tie up with Villar foundation

CEBU, Philippines - Las Piñas former Representative Cynthia Villar is urging non-government organizations and local government units in Cebu to tie-up with the Villar Foundation for their barangay-based livelihood programs.

Villar, who was in Cebu as guest speaker for the First Provincial Summit on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management of the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas-Eastern Samar Chapter, said that barangay-based livelihood programs initiated by the foundation are quite successful in their city and they want to share this to other LGUs.

"We are so happy with the result and we want this copied in other LGUs because this will really give employment among our people," Villar said in a separate press conference.

The Villar Foundation, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, is into waste processing livelihood program, among others, with waste products as its main raw materials.

She cited that water lillies, considered eyesores in our rivers, are now being made into bags, slippers and baskets.

Villar, a staunch advocate for environmental conservation and preservation, added that coconut husks, which are usually thrown, can now be made as a component for rip rapping of walls instead of using cement.

She said that the foundation has four decorticating machines where these coconut husks are processed while the remaining coco pit is made as a fertilizer.

"This is one way of minimizing our waste products. Seventy percent of our waste can be processed if we know how to do it. That's why the foundation would be very happy to teach our NGOs and LGUs on how to go about this," said Villar.

She explained that in Metro Manila, it is very expensive to have plenty of waste, citing that an LGU has to pay P11,000 per dump truck just to deliver their wastes to the landfill area where P5,000 of the amount goes to the landfill owner.

The Villars’ Foundation, where she is the managing director, has won several awards for their tree planting program, "Pagtatanim para sa Kinabukasan;” "Sagip Bukas", a school based movement for a drug-free Las Piñas; and "Manpower on Wheels", a mobile livelihood program providing training in employable skills.  (FREEMAN)