THE TALK ON WASTE MANAGEMENT

By Thea Lorraine R. Tugon, Philippines

PAGTATAP Foundation organized a 3-day youth camp held at the Malumpati Health Spring and Tourist Resort last May 26-28, 2005. Its chosen theme was "I AM A GIFT TO MY COMMUNITY."

One of the talks was about proper waste management and the role of the youth. Pandan, Antique's Municipal Mayor, Hon. John Sanchez, shared his insights on this topic. The mayor started his talk by introducing the song "Masdan mo ang Kapaligiran" by Asin. Though we knew little about the song, we still had a good time in singing it.

Mayor Sanchez discussed a lot of things. First and foremost was proper waste disposal and proper segregation of waste. He indicated that proper waste disposal is very important because, firstly, we can avoid spreading diseases and, secondly, we can avoid a garbage crisis like that of Manila and other cities. "May pera sa basura," was what Mayor Sanchez noted. I was surprised that our town gets benefits from the garbage and waste that we throw away because our eco-aides gather usable and recyclable things from such waste, like broken plastics, bottles, and the like, and sell them back to their respective companies. The segregation of waste from biodegradable to non-biodegradable materials leads to organized waste disposal. Knowing which is which can help us make better use of our waste.

The Mayor's talk highlighted the natural and ecological issues we face today. I agree with Mayor Sanchez that proper waste disposal could make our lives better. We will be able to experience comfortable living in peaceful and clean surroundings if we know how to dispose our garbage properly.

Let's prevent the dumpsite from getting full of our waste by knowing and making use of the things we just throw away into our trash bins. We can do something out of this, using our creativity and resourcefulness. We can recycle papers and re-use plastics. Recycling is a big step towards our goal, and it's practical. We can earn and save money from recycling things. We can also help prevent ecological problems. Garbage can cause floods during the rainy season and it's a source of virus-causing diseases.

We, the youth, can do many things to help sort the waste management problems and help solve them. The future lies in our hands. If we want to provide our next generation a good place to live, let us save Mother Nature from destruction. This is our first challenge. Let's start within ourselves. Let's start and help in our own little ways. Small things could lead to a bigger and better things. Participate in government and non-government programs concerning these issues. Be an instrument of cleanliness. Do service. Be a role model to the other youth by showing them you care for nature by segregating and disposing waste properly, by planting more trees, and by keeping the surroundings clean.

As an action response, the PAGTATAP Youth is planning to have Recycled Paper Making as its project. The Pandan Multi Purpose Cooperative (PMPC), which handles the Ecological Solid Waste Management Program of the municipality, will help us, PAGTATAP Youth members, in the training on its basic skills and techniques. We will also help educate our peers on the said program.

The Youth Camp was far more different from my other experiences. This PAGTATAP experience opened my eyes to a brighter and deeper meaning of things. In it, I shared my knowledge and experiences. I learned new things as I discovered a lot more about myself, who I really am to my community, and about service. I realized that "service" is not all about popularity; service is not acquiring things from others; service is voluntary; and service is helping others without expecting something in return. I do service, and therefore I AM A GIFT TO MY COMMUNITY.

Issue No. 9

August 01, 2005

---

Inside this Issue

HEADLINES
Page 1

PANDAN WOWS
Page 2

PAGTATAP YOUTH
Page 3

CAMP WITH NATURE
Page 4

THE PERSONS BEHIND
Page 5

THE TALK
Page 6

A SHOWCASE
Page 7

THE EARLY TASKS
Page 8

THE MAGIC
Page 9

VOLUNTEERISM
Page 10

BEHIND THE TENTS
Page 11

---

Latest Issue
Archives

Pandan Antique Philippines Website

MORE LINKS

web design by

www.sehdi.com