By HANNAH NICOL The Quezon City local government partnered with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Japanese government for the deployment of biodigesters and food waste-on-wheels in urban farms and barangays in the city on Monday, July 2. According to the local government, the city received a brand new six-wheeler truck that will collect biodegradable waste from communities while the biodigesters will be placed in urban farms and barangays through the UNDP’s Accelerating Nationally Determined Contribution through Circular Economy in Cities or the “ACE Project.” Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte thanked the UNDP and the Japanese government for providing the city with the Community to Farm Mobile Organic Waste Recovery System. She also vowed to meet the 50 percent waste diversion target geared towards a climate-resilient and low-carbon future. According to the local government, the 25 biodigesters and food waste-on-wheels are in addition to the city’s initial six biodigesters that are already installed in public markets and community farms. The city has initiated various circular economy strategies and the promotion of the Prevent, Reduce, Recycle, and Recover campaign. It recently introduced a refill and reuse system in community-based stores, such as sari-sari stores and market stalls, with the “Greenpeace,” and “Impact Hub Manila,” for the “Kuha sa Tingi” project to address the plastic pollution in the communities. Based on data from the  LGU, in 2021, the city government established the Trash to Cashback program that converts residents' recyclable wastes and single-use plastics into Environmental Points which they can use to purchase groceries and pay for their utility bills. In 2022, through the "Vote to Tote" program, the city partnered with Spark! Philippines and designer Zarah Juan to upcycle 70 tons of campaign tarpaulins and posters into reusable bags. In accordance with the City Council, landmark ordinances to control waste generation are also being implemented such as City Ordinance 2868-2019 or the Plastic Bag Ban Ordinance; and City Ordinance 2876-2019 which prohibits the distribution of single-use plastics and disposable materials for dine-in customers in restaurants and hotels. Together with the Scholars of Sustenance, the city also established a food waste recovery program to save unsold or excess food products that can be distributed to the most disadvantaged families. The biodigesters have a biogas digester system that turns organic waste like food scraps and animal manure into biogas. This can be used for cooking and the liquid can be utilized as soil conditioner for gardening.