Photo courtesy of PNA
The municipal government of Bangued, Abra, is strengthening its solid waste management program by turning recyclable waste into useful products.
Mayor Perfecto Cardenas said the initiative aims to cut garbage volume while opening livelihood opportunities for local communities.
Cardenas said the town plans to expand waste segregation and recycling efforts so all 31 barangays can benefit from the program.
He said the municipality has bio-composting equipment, bottle crushers, and pulverizer machines that can process waste into materials for concrete products.
The mayor said recycled materials could help barangays generate income and show residents that waste can have economic value when properly managed.
Cardenas said garbage collection and segregation are currently concentrated in barangays near the town center, but the local government is working on a system that can cover all villages.
The program is part of Bangued’s 10-year solid waste management plan, which the mayor said now needs full implementation and stronger public participation.
The municipality is also holding information campaigns in barangays, schools, and business establishments to encourage proper waste segregation at source, with Cardenas stressing that waste management requires cooperation from the entire community.