Dumangas plogging drive collects 1.8 tons of trash

By Mariela Angella Oladive

In observance of World Environment Day, more than 1,000 volunteers joined a municipalitywide plogging activity in Dumangas on June 5, collecting 1.8 tons of waste from barangays and major roads across the town.

The early morning cleanup drive, spearheaded by the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office, also marked the launch of Philippine Environment Month in the municipality.

Participants from 82 groups, including barangays, local government offices, civil society organizations, and academic institutions, took part in the activity, which combined jogging with litter collection.

Barangay Balabag emerged as the top-performing participant after collecting 126 kilograms of waste.

The barangay received a cash prize and two sacks of rice.

Other awardees included Barangay Tabucan, Barangay Lacturan, Iloilo Science and Technology University-Dumangas Campus, Dumangas United Radio Communicators, and Barangay Pagdugue.

The waste collected during the cleanup was segregated by type.

MENRO officer-in-charge Flosel Almirante said the waste, which consisted mainly of plastic materials, will be transported to the Dumangas Material Recovery Facility for final sorting and recovery.

Recyclable materials, such as plastic bottles, cartons, and aluminum cans, will be turned over to junk shops for recycling.

Municipal officials said the activity was part of Dumangas’ continuing push for sustainable waste management under its #WalaUsik campaign.

“Dumangas must transition from a take-make-dispose approach to a circular economy to drastically reduce municipal waste,” said Nelson Nalleca, executive assistant to Mayor Braedan John Biron.

According to municipal data, Dumangas generates about 0.5 kilogram of waste per capita daily.

Now in its fifth year, the municipality’s World Environment Day celebration serves as the starting point for a monthlong series of environmental activities.

World Environment Day is observed annually on June 5 and is led by the United Nations Environment Programme as a global platform for environmental action and awareness.

The event was organized in partnership with the Dumangas Civil Society Organization Federation, the Iloilo Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office, and the United Nations Development Programme Philippines.

This year’s observance was further strengthened through Dumangas’ participation in the PH Plastics Circularity Project of UNDP Philippines, supported by The Coca-Cola Foundation.

The PH Plastics Circularity Project, which runs from November 2024 to October 2027, is being implemented in selected local government units in Iloilo, including Dumangas, and supports circular economy initiatives, solid waste management, waste picker empowerment, and plastic waste recovery.

The partnership provides technical assistance on circular economy strategies, improved plastic waste management systems, and capacity-building programs for local stakeholders.

Activities lined up for the remainder of Environment Month include a Circular Economy Forum for government employees on June 18, the recognition of top-performing barangays under the Basura Baylo Bugas Program and Project BJ, or Bank Your Junk, on June 26, a provincewide tree-growing activity on June 27, and a Circular Economy Forum on June 30.