Arroyo, Tumang open Mexico MRF

President cites Pampanga towns’ efforts on waste management
MEXICO, Pampanga – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo formally opened Friday the new material recovery facility (MRF) in this municipality built in support of the national government’s comprehensive and ecological waste management program.
“Congratulations to all of you, especially to this beautiful project” the President told Mexico Mayor Teddy Tumang after she led the ribbon-cutting signaling the formal operation of the MRF which will serve as composting area and nursery for organic plants in the one-hectare property situated at the heart of the sugar cane plantation in Barangay Suclaban here.
Assisting the President in the ribbon-cutting were Pampanga 3rd District Representative Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Butil Party List Representative Agapito Guanlao and Mayor Tumang. Also present were Trade Secretary Peter Favila, Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, Task Force Climate Change Secretary Heherson Alvarez and Cabinet Officer for Regional Development 3 (CORD 3) Secretary Edgardo Pamintuan.
Tumang informed the President that the newly built MRF in Barangay Suclaban will definitely address the waste disposal problem within Mexico town and help in proper waste segregation.
“Thank you Madam President for helping us in the realization of this MRF here in Barangay Suclaban. Right now we have no problem on how and where we can dispose our garbage, he said.
Tumang admitted that through the MRF, they can now convince his constituents to segregate and patronize the concept of garbage recycling, composting and propagation of organic fertilizer for agricultural plants.
The President turned over to Tumang the P1 million worth of MRF equipment such as mixed waste conveyor, hammer hill shredders, windrow beds and pulverizers under the “Unlad Saka Mula sa Basura” a project of the Butil Party List.
The “Unlad Saka Mula sa Basura” project is a tripartite program supported by BUTIL Party List Representative Agapito H.. Guanlao in support of the implementation of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

Lubao activity
The President also expressed satisfaction over the solid waste management programs Lubao town and the whole of Region 3, which, she was told, were higher than the national average compliance rate of 13.1 percent.
Atienza informed the President that Lubao has a high 54 percent compliance with one very useful materials recovery facility (MRF) serving 24 out of its total 44 barangays.
Region 3, on the other hand, has a 17.4 compliance rate with 289 MRFs serving 541 barangays out of the total 3,100 barangays in the provinces of Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac, Zambales, Nueva Ecija, Bataan and Aurora.
However, Atienza said the province has a low compliance rate of only 3.3 percent with 17 MRFs serving the same number of barangays out of its total 505 barangays.
Because of this, it was recommended that the province needs to establish an additional 488 MRFs and 20 common facilities for charcoal briquetting to help reduce the province's 660 tons of generated waste by as much as 85 percent.
For Lubao, recommended was the establishment of an additional 20 MRFs particularly for upland barangays and one common facility for charcoal briquetting to help reduce by as much as 85 percent its generated waste of 10 tons per day.
It was reported to the President that Region 3 produces 30,000 tons of waste daily that produce some 675 tons of methane per day, which is 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide, the main contributor to global warming and climate change.
At the United Nations (UN) Leadership Forum on Climate Change held in New York last September 22, Alvarez submitted a draft UN resolution, “Declaring November 19-25 and Every Year Thereafter as Global Warming and Climate Change Consciousness Week.”
The President directed Alvarez to attend the forum to strengthen awareness in combating climate change.
Upon the President's directive, the country has embarked on a voluntary emission reduction program, first with the “Carbon Cutting Congress” last November declaring the country’s support for an 80 percent global emissions reduction by 2050, and the launching of a “Carbon-Cutting Coalition” last April, which rallies the nation to voluntarily mitigate its carbon emissions.
Beginning December last year, the Philippines has been actively participating in the UNFCCC negotiations, with the Philippine delegation, led by Alvarez, calling for “deep and early cuts” of carbon emissions by industrialized countries of more than 30 percent from 2013 to 2017, more than 50 percent from 2018 to 2022, and at least 95 per cent by 2050, all from 1990 levels.
This submission drew the support of ASEAN and Asia-Pacific delegates, as well as UNFCCC officials, Alvarez said.
(By Albert B. Lacanlale)