Under its fourth component, i.e., increasing capacity and awareness, the Project will implement the Marine Environment Protector (MEP) Program to address marine plastic pollution by mobilizing local communities across its project sites through engaging local governments, organizations and residents, and strengthening community-led initiatives to reduce plastic waste, enhance environmental awareness, and promote sustainable practices in plastic waste management.
PHILIPPINES
Puerto Princesa City
Local Partner: Project Zacchaeus
In Puerto Princesa City, Project Zaccaheus implements Eco Kolek as its local MEP Program in coordination with the City Environment and Natural Resources Office. It aims to empower and professionalize informal waste collectors to become Eco Warriors. Eco Warriors are trained to collect and recover plastic wastes from identified communities. They are also equipped with knowledge and skills in conducting education awareness campaigns in the grassroots.
Under Eco Kolek through the MEP Program, three major activities will be implemented: collection and recovery of recyclables in selected communities, school roadshows, and clean-up drives.
The community-based information drive will focus on proper waste segregation at source and the collection of recyclables in the participating households. Through Eco Kolek, academic institutions in Puerto Princesa will be engaged also in activating school-based campaigns through a series of road shows.
In celebration of World Ocean Day on June 6, 2024, Project Zaccaheus organized its first roadshow at Puerto Princesa School of Arts and Trades. It was followed by the coastal and dive clean-up in Snake Island, Honda Bay.
Learning Exchange Program
The Learning Exchange Program of the Marine Plastics ODA Project aims to provide RO Korea’s best practices on plastic wastes management and recycling technologies, share cross-learning of solid waste management policies and practices including marine plastics among RO Korea, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste, and enhance awareness and capacity of government officials on plastic waste management and circular economy in the Philippines and Timor-Leste.
Daanbantayan
Local Partner: Bitoon Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association (BARBA)
In Daanbantayan, BARBA implements a school-based campaigns through “Watch, Play, and Learn, ” a series of film-showing and installation of shooting bins in selected schools, with support from the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office.
In 2024, they aim to educate at least 800 students in the municipality through screenings of films with themes on marine conservation and plastic pollution. The schools will be installed with fabricated shooting bins, a facility that can support in teaching children how to segregate plastic wastes through interactive ways. The interactive shooting bins will also incentivize students and schools when they follow proper waste segregation.
BARBA also organizes regular clean-up drives in coastal areas and installation of trash traps in select tributaries to prevent plastics from leaking into the open sea.
Internship Program
Dipolog City
Local Partner: Andres Bonifacio College, Inc. (ABC)
The Andres Bonifacio College implements the “Kadagatan Ampingan, Plastik Likayan” campaign as its local MEP Program. With support from the City Environment and Natural Resources Office and the Office of the Mayor, it aims to reduce the use of single-use plastic in target sectors including public markets and schools. The campaign was launched on June 7, 2024, in time for the World Ocean Day celebration.
The Kadagatan Ampingan, Plastik Likayan includes installation of metal signages in key public areas, competition and airing of campaign jingles on plastic pollution in local radio stations, conduct of fora in schools and communities, and regular clean-up drives in select coastal areas.
Andres Bonifacio College also engages identified coastal barangays to ensure grassroots participation on plastic waste reduction in Dipolog City.
Tandag City
Local Partner: Motherly Association for River Initiatives towards Environmental Sustainability (MARITES) - San Agustin Sur
On June 28, 2024, “Basuralympics” was launched in Tandag City, led by a group of community volunteers called MARITES. With support from the City Environment and Natural Resources Office of Tandag City, they conduct community-focused information drives on proper plastic waste segregation, collection of plastic recyclables in select areas, and promote upcycling of plastic wastes to improve and beautify their communities.
They also conduct education drives in communities, install signages, and distribute reusable clean-up implements in partner barangays to ensure the implementation of regular clean-up drives in major river tributaries.
Alongside the upcycling, the local government of Tandag will provide other support such as provision of vegetable seedlings that can be grown in upcycled pots and garden boxes.
