BACOLOD City — The Bacolod City Environment and Natural Resources Office (BENRO), in collaboration with local and international partners, spearheaded efforts to address marine litter during a Knowledge Sharing Conference held on November 6.
The event, which gathered environmental leaders, local officials, and academics, aimed to exchange best practices and strategies to combat plastic waste affecting Western Visayas’ marine ecosystems.
Ma. Fe Trespuentes, head of BENRO, shared the city’s actionable plans to curb marine litter. She highlighted two key initiatives: the installation of waste traps in Mambulok Creek to capture debris before it reaches open waters and the “Trash to Cash Back” program, which encourages residents to engage in waste segregation and recycling.
“This program incentivizes community members to participate in sustainable practices, ultimately reducing waste and promoting environmental stewardship,” Trespuentes said.
The conference featured insights from German experts Professor Dr. Ralph Wagner and Katharina Raab from the University of Kassel, who presented a Plastic Waste Flow Diagram to illustrate plastic leakage points in Bacolod.
Their research complements local studies conducted by the University of St. La Salle (USLS), which examined river waste and microplastics, and La Consolacion College (LCC), which focused on ocean waste and the role of junk shops in waste management.
Aldwin Torquido from Bioflyt introduced advancements in the Black Soldier Fly (BSF) community modules at Barangay Felisa, a project utilizing BSF larvae to manage organic waste effectively.
The event concluded with an open forum, allowing community members, including waste pickers, waste processors, and representatives from initiatives like Friends of Hope’s “Aling Tindera,” to discuss further actions to reduce waste.
The conference, part of GIZ’s 3RproMar project, aligns with ASEAN’s “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” approach, promoting practices to prevent waste from reaching the sea and protecting vital marine environments./PN
