Dumpsite scavengers find new livelihood

CEBU, Philippines - Garbage scavengers at the old Umapad dumpsite in Mandaue city now have alternative means of livelihood after a coco waste plant in the city has hired them.

Income of these garbage pickers dwindled after the dumpsite is now being converted by the city government into a sanitary landfill.

Earl Sanchez, proprietor of the plant, said these garbage pickers, who are mostly mothers, underwent a two-day training on production of geo-net from twining the coir then weaving it into a finished product conducted by officials of the Philippine Coconut Authority.

The mothers were trained by Dr. Neil Melencion of the Non-Food Products Development Division of PCA Resource Center of Zamboanga City and Johndom Domagtoy, the provincial manager of PCA.

"Nagpasalamat mi nga giapil mi paghimo og geo-net kay menos na among kita tungod kay ang moabot nga basura diri segregated na," said Susana Lauron, one of the trainees.

Sanchez said they intend the mothers to impart the skills to the members of their family and community. The enterprise allows each individual to earn at least P200 per day.

Edmund Sanchez, Earl's father, said the eco-friendly geo-net is used instead of nylon to combat soil erosion in river banks, dams and drainage projects.

Since the start of the project, they have already exported the product to China but this time they have decided to concentrate on the local market.

The plant is processing eight dump trucks of coco husk per day as its raw materials are supplied for them for free by Profoods Corp. which disposes 30,000 husks from processing food products.

Engineer Ricardo Sanchez, head of the Solid Waste Management Office, said they will be utilizing the geo-net for the 1.5 kilometer stretch of eco-park and bike lane within the three-meter easement zone of the Butuanon riverbanks. (FREEMAN)