Quezon City cited for environment management

Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. won the other night the prestigious 2006 Communications Excellence in Organization award from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) in recognition of the city government’s successful communication program in promoting environment management.

Elpi Cuna, vice president of the Manila Electric Company, and Mon Isberto, head of the Smart Communications’ public affairs department, IABC directors, handed Belmonte a glass trophy in a ceremony at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

In his acceptance speech, Belmonte cited the need to match good communication with good governance, and cited these as key factors behind Quezon City’s improving competitive position.

The city government’s environment communication program, spearheaded by the Environment Protection and Waste Management Department, involves the participation of various players — from school children, civic organizations, barangay officials and residents — in promoting waste management, segregation and waste diversion objective.

Various communication tools such as audiovisual infomercials, posters, pamphlets and Filipino-style komiks were used in the campaign.

Officials said the success of the city government’s environment program are visibly seen from the less litter and trash in the streets as well as an average 11-percent reduction in trash brought to the Payatas dumpsite, the growing number of barangays strictly enforcing a "no segregation and no collection" policy and operating their own waste disposal facilities.

In 2004 the Department of Environment Resources named Quezon City the second cleanest and "greenest" city.

The CEO Excel awards are given to senior executives who have successfully harnessed communication in advancing the reputation, enhancing the profitability or achieving major objectives of their organizations.

Originally intended to be given solely to executives in the private sector, the CEO excel award was expanded last year to include government executives who have also shown a marked understanding of communications principles and exceptional skills in getting the message across.

Other awardees were Bank of the Philippine Islands chief executive Aurelio Montinola, Unilab chief executive Carlos Ejercito, PLDT chairman Manuel Pangilingan, among others. — Perseus Echeminada