Monsour pushes for waste- free Games

Olympian and sports ambassador Monsour del Rosario gave his support in making the 23rd Southeast Asian Games a waste-free meet.

The former taekwondo great made the pitch during a simple press presentation the other day at the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (Philsoc) office at the ground floor of the PICC Bldg. which the Ecological Waste Coalition (EcoWaste Coalition) organized in collaboration with Philsoc.

"We need to pay attention to the ecological management of discards. If we fail to do that, Rizal Park and other SEAG venues will surely turn into eyesores that will harm both our image and health as a nation," said del Rosario.

Together with EcoWaste Coalition’s Task Force for a waste-free SEA Games, Del Rosario urged the various game facilities to implement a convenient system for separating biodegradable and non-biodegradable discards.

Biodegradable discards such as food waste can be fed to animals or turned into compost to nourish the earth.

Non-biodegradable such as tin cans, glass and plastic containers can be reused or returned to factories for recycling.

Overall waste-free SEA Games project coordinator and chairman of Mother Earth Foundation Sonia Mendoza appeals to participants, organizers, service providers and the general public to cooperate in this endeavor.

"This is a great opportunity for the Filipinos to excel again following the recent victories of boxer Manny Pacquiao and beauty queen Precious Quigaman. Let us aim for gold and win for the environment. Together, we will not fail," said Mendoza.

Constituting the waste-free 23rd SEA Games Task Force are the Ayala Foundation, Cavite Green Coalition, Concernced Citizens Against Pollution, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, Greenpeace Southeast Asia, Mother Earth Foundation, Smokey Mountain Resource Recovery Systems and Zero Waste Philippines.