Mauswagong Mirangan: Waste Segregation: For A Cleaner Barangay Mirangan

During the health survey conducted last October 2011, data revealed that among 292 target households in barangay Mirangan, 65% do not practice garbage segregation while only 35% are practicing segregation. For those who do not practice waste segregation, 58% burn their garbage and the remaining 42% practice open dumping of their waste.

On a deeper interview, it was noted that the people are unaware of the health consequences that improper solid waste management at the household level poses. The geographical location of the barangay served as a barrier in establishing “collect and transport” waste management plans. In addition, the road going to Barangay Mirangan is still underdeveloped. For this reason, the municipality continues to have a problem on the collection of the generated garbage in the area.

In the initiation phase, focus was mainly on the assessment, presentation of the problem to various organizations at the barangay, generating ideas for solving the issues, coordinating with the proper agencies concerned and activities aimed at program planning. It was then followed by activities for the implementation of planned intervention by the community and medical students.

Guided by the R.A 9003, solutions created by the community together with the medical students are the following:

· Waste Management Plans were proposed in accordance with R.A. 9003 focusing on the 3R’s (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle).

· Barangay waste management committee was formed from the core group as stipulated under R.A. 9003.

· “Zero Basura” that gives emphasis on reduction of wastes being generated and reduction of wastes to be disposed through segregation at source was promoted through presented waste management scheme.

· A series of health education on proper solid waste segregation at household level were conducted. Different population group were the target of education that includes mothers or representative head per households, youth and elementary students. Passive health information was also done through posters per purok and distribution of pamphlet per households.

Community involvement such as cleanup activity per week was applied and two pits per cluster of households for disposal of biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes were constructed. At least 30 meters away from the water sources.

“Basura Patrol” was created. Every hamlet should have a group of people from the hamlet officers, core group members and youth volunteers responsible for the solid waste management to which they belong. Their function is to ascertain the maintenance of proper waste segregation and proper waste disposal within cluster of households.

Conducted a school campaign on proper solid waste management with the SK Officers and youth volunteers promoting proper garbage segregation and utilization of compost pit and recycling through information dissemination.

Ordinances and resolutions such as mandatory waste segregation, compost pit per households and no burning of rice hull were created to support the activity on garbage.

Lastly, program scheme was presented to the municipal level for approval, support and implementation.

The solution generated is perceived as acceptable and sustainable by the community. The present ordinance and resolution of the barangay shall be the base support of the activities promoting the proper solid waste management. The barangay waste management committee was formed, headed by present barangay council on environmental sanitation, Mr. Reneboy Samonte and former council on environmental sanitation, Mr. Ariel Oroc. This committee was given the function to monitor through the use of evaluation tool and submit a report on the activity of households every month during the first barangay session of the month. Under the mentioned committee, Basura Patrol, a sub-group, headed by hamlet leaders, was provided the responsibility to ascertain the function of the group per hamlet.

With these, an increased in number of households were noted over the years, from 102 (35%) during 2012, then 149 (51%) during 2013, to 188 (64%) on 2014. The team Mauswagong Mirangan – medical students and community, therefore concludes that “Malinis Na Kapaligiran” has been achieved.