The Philippines' goal of conserving the environment would be possible by starting with the efforts of the local government units (LGUs) and their respective barangays.
Great examples are the initiatives of the LGUs from the City of Baliwag in Bulacan and Alcala, Cagayan, who made projects that had a great impact on the community.
Interviewed during DILG sa DZRH Breaktime, Baliwag City, Bulacan Mayor Ferdinand Estrella, whose LGU has been a Seal of Good Local Government (SGLG) awardee in 2023 and a Regional Manila Bayani awardee, emphasized their 10-Year Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP).
According to Estrella, the 10-Year SWMP underlines their steps in conserving the environment, which soon created an environmental code.
"Noong 2016 noong ako po ay aupo bilang Mayor mg Baliway kinausap ko po yung ating MENRO at napag-usapan po namin na gumawa kami ng isang plano," Estrella said.
"Ito po ay naipasa sa DILG noong 2018 at sumunod po noon ay bumuo po kami environmental code para naka-align ang mga batas na nakatuon sa aming 10-year Solid Waste Management Plan," he added.
Estrella said among the challenges before building the program was the lack of manpower in their Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO). However, with a strong willingness, Estrella made the department fully functional.
"Noong inayos po namin ang plano ay naglagay na rin po ako ng mga kinakailangang mga tao at in fact nasa halos 50 na tao po ngayon ang nasa environment cluster po namin," the mayor said.
The initiative has had greater impacts as residents became part of the SWMP and were also taught to make recycled materials such as Ecobricks, Plastic banks, and Palit-basura Store".
"Mayroon po kaming mga Ecobricks Hub na gumagawa ng mga bricks mula sa mga sachet, plastic na basura ay ginagawang bricks, isa po iyon. Mayroon din kaming plastic banks o lugar kung saan nilalagay namin ang mga plastic namin, at palit-basura store kung saan pwede ipagpalit ang mga basura sa grocery items," said Estrella.
"Mayroon kaming tinatawag na Eco-Police na nanghuhuli sa mga hindi sumusunod sa ating mga environment code," he added.
Meanwhile, Alcala, Cagayan Mayor Cristina Antonio also highlighted their Green Wall Project, a project to prevent the occurrence of floods in their area.
"Ang Green Wall of Alcala ay ang pagtatanim po ng Philippine NAtive trees sa iba't ibang bahagi ng aming bayan lalo na sa mga taga tabing ilog sa mga schools, sa communities, sa watershed areas, nang sa gayon ay makabuo ng literal na pader [green wall]," she explained.
Antonio noted that the Green Wall Project was built amid the crisis following the severe flood caused by Typhoon Yulisis in 2020.
Of the 25 barangays in Alcala, Antonio said 24 were flooded, while seven were submerged. Moreover, 19,011 people were displaced, and 6,565 homes were underwater, with 52 million crops and livestock destroyed.
The crisis has led to seeking help from scientist Dr. Fernando Siringan of UP Geology and Marine Scientist, who conducted a study on the stem of flooding in their town. Antonio said Siringan recommended planting native trees beside the Cagayan River.
"Gumawa po sila ng study bakit napakalaki ng pagbaha dito sa aming bayan at ang rekomendayon—iisang rekomendaasyon ang pagtatanim ng mga punong kahoy along the Cagyan River na pinagmumulan ng baha," Antonio said.
"Ang Bayan ng Alcala po kasi ay dinadaanan ng Ilog Cagayan na siyang pinakamalaking ilog sa buong bansa," she furthered.
Currently, the projects have been going on for three years.
"So far, we have planted 40,050 trees. Hindi po kami nagtatarget ng mga 1 million trees kasi mas mahalaga po sa amin yung placement dahil bumubuo po kami ng mga pader sa mga rode sides, sa mga tabilog, schools, and communities para pangsangga sa tubig baha."
"Itong mga puno kapaga lumaki na doon madedposit yung mga putik na galing sa pagbaha, and it will form a natural liverium hedge, so tataas po ang lupa, mas mapoprotektahan ang mga komunidad," the mayor added.
Like Baliwag, Bulacan, and the LGU of Alcala, Cagayan is an awardee of the SGLG.
"Napakahalaga po nga national SGLG ng DILG nagbibigay ito ng guidance at panuntunan sa aming local executives and mayors kung anong standard ang dapat abutin sa pagsisilbi," Antonio remarked.
