Cash from trash

Something was discovered in Barrio Ugong, Pasig City recently. From the trash heap came something that not only turned to cash, but became quite a phenomenon and a source of pride for the community.

For Lolly, 47, a former factory worker and a mother of three, it is important to enjoy one’s work, and to enjoy it immensely in the company of friends. Of course, salary is a major factor, but with KILUS, she discovered that it’s not all that matters.

"I started as a volunteer in KILUS way back in 1997. But I soon recognized that it required more than volunteer work: it demanded a great deal of commitment," Lolly shares. Today, she is grateful for the opportunity. "KILUS taught me so much about what really goes on around us, in our community and in our country, and how every positive effort, whether big or small, contributes to progress. It sustained my family and me financially, helping me send my three kids to school. It also enlightened me so much about life and my capabilities." Today, apart from her usual duties in KILUS, she also serves as its treasurer and role model for women who want to join them and be a contributing factor to their community’s success.

Josie, 50, also began her career with KILUS as a volunteer, just "to have something to do during spare time." "I come here (referring to KILUS’ Multi-Purpose Area) whenever I have nothing to do at home. As a mother of three, I needed the additional income." Lately, though, Josie admits that she recognized the movement’s efforts, and what it tries to achieve not only for women but also for herself, especially when she began to give sewing lessons to other KILUS members. "The bigger picture is connected pala within ourselves: Kaya ko pala, kaya pala namin!" she enthuses.

The Kababaihang Iisa ang Layuning Umunlad ang Sambayanan or KILUS was initiated as a partner of the Ugong Barangay Council (UBC)’s Solid Waste Management Program in 1997. This loose alliance of Barrio Ugong’s womenfolk was then called Samahang Kababaihan ng Ugong (SKU), collectively involved in proactive endeavors for Barrio Ugong.

SKU’s founder and president Editha Santiago with her husband Andy who was then Barrio Ugong’s chairman, pioneered successful "clean and green" projects that earned "The Cleanest and Greenest Barangay" recognition for Barrio Ugong in 1998. Later that year, they formally organized themselves and decided to change their name from SKU to KILUS. Like its Filipino homonym, kilos (meaning "act" or "move"), KILUS advances for sustained, contructive, and progressive methods of development through recycling.

Their first project in 1999 was the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (denr)’s Bawas Basura, Dagdag Kita (BBDK) campaign–an income-generating project that involved buying recyclables from every household, which they introduced to their community.

"BBDK was so effective that the campaign involved a 100 percent participation from our ka-barangays," reveals Editha. "We have been buying segregated garbage long before the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) did!" By December, Barrio Ugong was singled out as the Model and Outstanding Barangay in the whole Pasig.

Apart from this recognition, KILUS was also able to earn some money on the side, selling the still usable junk they found among the trash–clothes, old newspapers, glass and plastic bottles, rusty appliances, and doy packs. The latter, they found out, had greater potential that they could develop. A livelihood seminar sponsored by the Development Academy of the Philippines held in Tagaytay City that same year gave them the idea.

"Noted speakers such as Zero-Kalat Kaunlaran project’s Dr. Meliora taught us that doy packs can be developed into useful items such as bags and place mats," reveals Editha. Not long after that, they began segregating the doy packs for the special project and transforming them into colorful and interesting novelty items. "Some members of the media noticed our efforts, and soon enough, we were promoting our stuff on TV, " she recalls. Various organizations supportive of KILUS’s initiative and enterprise quickly lent their assistance.

Editha cites Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Lucita Lazo for lending them tools and equipment such as additional sewing machines, office tables, cabinets and chairs that helped spark the mass production. Pasig City Mayor Soledad Eusebio gave P20,000 financial assistance, while Product Development and Design Center of the Philippines (PDDCP) Executive Director Minerva Franco helped by conceptualizing different designs for the doy bags.

"Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC) Chief Elizabeth Manuel trained us on the basics of exporting, while the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) Special Projects Chief Vivian Castillon gave us the much-needed exposure in the Manila F.A.M.E. International trade show," she adds. With all these, the doy pack products found a significant market, and even gained a following among foreign buyers.

The recycled doy pack going international? Yes, since the stint in mfi, orders from other Asian countries, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Scandinavia have been pouring in, " Editha reveals with pride. With this development, more women have taken part in the venture. Some women coordinate with kind souls such as the cleaners and garbage collectors in the metropolis’ different parks and districts so that KILUS will have a steady supply of at least 2,000 doy packs a week. Representatives from the makers of Plus! and Zest-O drinks have lent a hand, as well, turning over doy pack "rejects" to KILUS.

Today, KILUS has 25 regular workers and some trainees who help in the production. "But," Editha maintains, "the number does not stop there. It has become sort of an extended family enterprise. Some members work from their homes, their families assisting them. The kids do the cleaning and sorting, while the husbands lend a hand in sewing the materials." Every family earns from P1,000 to P3,000 a week.

With the earnings, KILUS transformed into a cooperative where its members can run for financial support whenever the need arises. Aside from this, KILUS’s endeavor has been hailed by MMDA Chair Benjamin Abalos and environmentalist Narda Camacho as a commendable alternative source of livelihood. "They recognized the empowerment it provides women and, of course, the way it helps the environment," says Editha.

So instead of mindlessly throwing away that doy pack and contributing to the 200,000 doy packs that accumulate daily in the growing garbage heap, do your share. Collect them and contribute to the country’s growing export revenue. Bring them over to KILUS Foundation Multi-Purpose Environmental Cooperative located at 36 C. Santos St., Barrio Ugong, Pasig City.