STRAWS, cups, utensils and even plates – these are just some of the home essentials we could not share to another individual for sanitation and health reasons. And with the pandemic, these utensils need to come in handy and reusable to one person especially at work.
In one of their field visits and site inspections of NGP areas in the province of Aklan, personnel of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 6, with members of People’s Organization resorted to using banana leaf sheaths, locally known as “simat” as plates. “Simat” were made and prepared by the members of Peace Agreement Interbarangay Project Organization (PAIPO) in Monlaque, Ibajay, Aklan.
“Using biodegradable products may reduce the trash that ends up in landfills and worst, at the world’s oceans. The world is now fighting for its betterment and with the pandemic caused by COVID-19, we don’t want to add up to the burden of Mother Nature. Thus, before we end up on a bigger mess, let us all work harder for the improvement and sustainability of our only Earth,” said DENR 6 Regional Executive Director Francisco E. Milla, Jr.
“Biodegradable plates and other compostable disposables will not harm the environment because they can easily break down, so instead of using single use-plastics, try biodegradable ones. We laud the efforts of our upland POs for their ingenuity in using recyclable plates,” he added.
Improper waste management is one of the toughest environmental problems in the Philippines. DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu is pushing for Proper Solid Waste Management as one of his priority programs for the year 2020./PN
