Continuing its commitment to zero waste, Barangay San Antonio in Pasig City begun the new cycle of its "Basura to Ayuda" program on Saturday, Jan. 28, for third consecutive year.
First launched in 2021, Basura to Ayuda is Barangay San Antonio's flagship Bayanihan Waste Management program that aims to encourage proper waste disposal and recycling of materials.
The collection is done every last Saturday of the month.

Around 302 kilograms of plastic, 1,438 kilograms of cartons, and 15 kilograms of other wastes were collected for January 2023.
Residents dropped off their plastic wastes, used beverage cartons, and used oil in the collection site at Mega Plaza driveway, located at Garnet Road, Ortigas Center.
Meanwhile, bokashied food wastes, put in sealed buckets, were collected at the San Antonio Urban Garden at Delgado Street, San Antonio Village.
Bokashi balls or "mabuhay balls," are made of organic materials mixed with a microorganism solution that is able to "break down toxins and consume bad bacteria in the water," according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

To entice residents to participate, an individual who will donate a total of five kilograms of recyclable plastics will be given a kilogram of rice in exchange.
Eight kilograms of recyclable cartons is also equivalent to a kilogram of rice.
The waste will be turned over to the barangays partner facilities. The bokashied food waste will be used as compost for the barangay's Urban Garden.

Barangay officials hope that many more residents will participate in the program and make their zero waste efforts a monthly habit.
For the months of February, May, June, July, September, October, and November in 2022, the barangay collected over 2,800 kilograms of plastics, 2,300 kilograms of cartons, 830 kilograms of other recyclable materials, 225 kilograms of bokashied food wastes, and 35 liters of used oil.