MANILA, Philippines — The local government of Manila reported yesterday that 86 truckloads of garbage were collected from two cemeteries during the observance of Undas.
From Oct. 28 to Nov. 1, 134 metric tons or 50 truckloads of trash were hauled from the Manila North Cemetery and 95 MT or 36 trucks of waste were collected from the Manila South Cemetery in Makati, according to Princess Abante, spokesperson for Mayor Honey Lacuna.
On Nov. 1, authorities collected 38 MT or 12 truckloads of waste from the Manila North Cemetery and another 18 MT or eight truckloads from the Manila South Cemetery.
Environmental group EcoWaste Coalition cited a remarkable improvement in the observance of All Saints’ Day amid its campaign for a trash-free Undas.
EcoWaste said the provision of garbage bins and installation of anti-littering signs in cemeteries helped in reducing garbage.
Meanwhile, grocery items worth P164,399 were given to Manila residents in exchange for trash as part of the “Recyclables Mo, Palit Grocery Ko” program of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
The trash-to-grocery exchange program launched in June 2021 aims to promote waste segregation to prevent garbage from blocking waterways and causing floods.