ILOILO – The Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office (PGENRO) plans to sell eco-friendly bags, wallets, pouches, and cellphone cases made of “upcycled” election campaign materials.
Women’s groups from the towns of Miag-ao, Oton, Dumangas, Janiuay, Ajuy, and Pavia, and persons deprived of liberty from the Female Dormitory of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology on General Luna Street, Iloilo City were tapped to sew the bags.
“Kon maghambal ka nga upcycling, ang tarpaulin puede mahimu as eco bag nga wala mo ginaguba or wala sia gina-process,” according to Mitzi Peñaflorida, senior environmental management specialist of PGENRO.
“Kon recycling, ang mga plastics ginatunaw para himuon nga foot path or chair, for example. May processing or technology nga gamit. Sa upcycling makita mo gihapon nga this item is made of campaign waste,” said Peñaflorida.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. will be consulted on how to go about with the sale.
The provincial capitol lobby is being eyed as display area.
Each eco bag is projected to fetch P80.
The proceeds will be plowed back to the women’s groups that spent for the needles and threads they used to make the bags.
Through the upcycling of election campaign materials, PGENRO hoped to minimize election plastic wastes.
Peñaflorida said the PGENRO managed to collect 14,886.075 kilograms or 14.8 tons of wasted election campaign materials from 42 towns and Passi City.
Of these, 7,180.5 kilograms of tarpaulins were for upcycling, said Peñaflorida./PN
