Marikina's Waste System Urged for National Adoption by LGUs

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Monday urged local government units (LGUs) to adopt Marikina City’s integrated waste management system, saying proper garbage collection, recycling and recovery could help reduce flooding and address environmental concerns. “It should be the template, and it is now becoming a template in all the different cities in the Philippines, especially here in the NCR (National Capital Region),” Mr. Marcos said in Filipino after inspecting the Marikina River Linear Park and Centralized Materials Recovery Facility in Barangay Sto. Niño. Mr. Marcos said Marikina developed the system over the past 10 to 11 years, including clearing no-build zones along the Marikina River and installing trash catchers to prevent waste from entering the waterway. “It is not only going to the river and then doing desiltation or collecting garbage,” he said. “From desiltation, collecting garbage, it is brought here and recycled.” The President said the city’s facility processes biodegradable waste into compost and plastics into products such as bags, bricks and materials for school desks. Mr. Marcos said the system could help reduce waste while contributing to flood management and environmental protection amid climate change. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking