LGUs should exert ‘passion’ in running MRFs, says Biñan mayor
Local government units (LGUs) should be passionate in establishing and operating their materials recovery facilities (MRFs) to support the country’s plastic waste diversion efforts, the local chief executive of Biñan City said.
“Passion ang kailangan [is what’s needed]. The local chief executive ay dapat maka-develop ng [should develop a] passion for this kind of job— it’s not easy,” Walfredo “Arman” R. Dimaguila Jr., Mayor of Biñan City, Laguna, told BusinessWorld during the launch of Biñan EcoPark’s enhanced MRF on Thursday.
Mr. Dimaguila’s statement was in response to BusinessWorld’s question regarding the lack of materials recovery facilities (MRFs) in the country, despite the mandate under Section 32 of Republic Act 9003, which requires every barangay or cluster of barangays to establish their own MRFs.
The country has only 11,625 MRFs serving 42,029 barangays, according to a 2023 report by the state think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).
Mr. Dimaguila said the low number of MRFs may be attributed to some LGUs’ preference for dumping their waste in landfills, as it is less labor-intensive.
“It’s dirty. And if you see the full operation of our MRF, you might say, ‘This is so difficult, it’s noisy,’” Mr. Dimaguila said in both mixed English and Filipino.
“Some LGUs just want their garbage taken and done with. ‘Just throw it away, you deal with it, we’ll just pay.’ And just like that, the problem is considered solved,” he added.
However, there is a need for a shift in mindset, as plastic waste continues to clog waterways, particularly in Laguna de Bay, the country’s largest lake, Mr. Dimaguila said.
Launch of the enhanced Biñan EcoPark MRF
To support the country’s plastic waste diversion initiative, the City of Biñan on Thursday unveiled the enhanced Biñan EcoPark Materials Recovery Facility (MRF).
The initiative is a collaboration between the City Government, Evergreen Labs Philippines, PepsiCo Philippines, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Region IV-A, and other government agencies.
With the introduction of new technology and equipment, the facility, which was previously limited to producing plastic-infused bricks, can now recycle plastic waste into plastic-molded products such as lumbers and sheets.
“Lumber, as usual, is a very good replacement for basic lumber used in construction and furniture. So, chairs (like school chairs) and tables, those are the typical uses of our lumber,” Isidro Luis “Chino” Borromeo, operations coordinator at ReForm Plastic, a social enterprise under EverGreen Labs Inc., told BusinessWorld in both mixed English and Filipino.
Mr. Borromeo said the Biñan EcoPark can process over a ton of most types of plastic waste each day, collected from different barangays across Laguna.
Looking ahead, Mr. Dimaguila said the city government plans to expand the project to other areas in Biñan.
He added that he also intends to push for laws that will ensure the stricter integration of MRFs in all cities and municipalities, as he takes his oath as the newly elected representative of the city’s lone district. – Edg Adrian A. Eva
