ROXAS City – A new policy was introduced to keep the Baybay beach trash-free – exchanging sacks of garbage with cans of sardines.
One sack of garbage collected along the coastline of Barangay Baybay will be exchanged with four cans of sardines beginning July 14, said village chief Reynaldo Magallanes.
This scheme is exclusive to residents of Barangay Baybay, he added.
“Mapasiguro naton nga ang basura halin gid man sa amon baybayon kon limitahan ta lang sa aton mga residente kay kilala naton sila,” Magallanes told Panay News.
Residents must bring their collected trash to the barangay hall. A truck will then transport the trash to the city’s sanitary landfill in Barangay San Jose.
Magallanes said the idea was from former Interior and Local Government secretary Mar Roxas.
Roxas, who is being reported to run for city mayor next year, presented the idea during the launch of the Wow-N-Wash (War on Worms Nutrition and Water Sanitation and Hygiene) program at Don Conrado Barrios Memorial School in Barangay Baybay on Monday.
“Nag-istorya si former secretary Mar sa aton nga dapat tinluan gid ang aton baybayon,” said Magallanes.
He added that other coastal barangays in the city – like Dumolog and Culasi – can also adopt the same policy.
“Depende na ina sa mga ingod ta nga barangay kon himuon man ina nila sa ila area,” Magallanes said.
Netizens have expressed various takes on the new policy.
Facebook user Rhea Glenda Steimann posted, “What a shame! Di po solusyon ang sardinas para suhulan ang mga tao maglinis. ‘Di ba pwedeng laanan ng kaukulang budget ang Baybay?”
Another Facebook user, Melanie Amata Andraje, posted, “Sardinas? Importante bugas. Kay pwede kakaun maski kan-on lang. Dugay ka pa gutumon.”/PN
