ILOILO – The municipality of Tubungan has been cited as best performing local government unit (LGU) in solid waste management.
It bested 17 other LGUs in this province in the search for outstanding local governments in ecological and sustainable solid waste management system conducted by the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) in December 2018.
According to Mitzi Peñaflorida, PENRO senior environmental management specialist, Tubungan rated high in two indicators – having an organized and functioning municipal solid waste management board and functioning barangay solid waste management committees as required under Republic Act (RA) 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000); and having a task force monitoring the implementation of the town’s solid waste management program.
PENRO’s yearly search aims to ensure that municipalities were implementing their 10-year solid waste management plans approve by the National Solid Waste Management Commission, said Peñaflorida.
Tubungan bested the towns of Igbaras, Miag-ao, New Lucena, Pavia, Santa Barbara, Zarraga, Badiangan, Calinog, Janiuay, Lambunao, Pototan, Banate, Dingle, Dueñas, Batad, and San Rafael, and the component city of Passi.
As the top winner, Tubungan received P200,000 cash prize.
Second placer New Lucena received P150,000 while third placer Miag-ao got P100,000.
For entering the competition’s “top six”, the LGUs of Banate, Dueñas and Zarraga received P50,000 each.
Peñaflorida said the winners must use the prizes to enhance their 10-year solid waste management plans.
PENRO had a separate competition for barangays.
The first placer was Barangay Binon-an in Batad town (P100,000).
The second placer was Barangay Malagyan, Miag-ao (P80,000) and the third placer was Barangay San Florentino, San Rafael (P50,000)./PN
