The Pasig City local government continues to prove it is one of the pioneers in the inception and implementation of different environment and business-centered programs aimed not just at improving its citizens' way of life and livelihood, but also the preservation and nourishment of the environment.
Mayor Vico Sotto
During its weekly Monday morning ceremony, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto showcased the different projects spearheaded by its City Environment and Natural Resources Office and Solid Waste Management Office, such as the the ICE (Innovation for Circular Economy) Hub and the Garbage Collection by Administration.
Last August, individuals employed in the Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Pasig City underwent a seven-day learning incursion that focused on innovation and the circular economy.
The training aimed to help the local government share knowledge and teach skills that would enable the future establishment of a permanent ICE Hub in the city and the first-ever Circular Economy Hub in the country.
The hub will become the "central aggregator, incubator, and connector" of the circular economy solutions of Pasig.
The participants were given the opportunity to explore the concept and importance of the circular economy at a deeper level, and learn the various ways that governments and societies to eliminate the problem of waste.
Participants were tasked to create and present business concepts or proposals that could possibly hit two birds with one stone – to help ease the issue of garbage while creating jobs or generating revenue.
Meanwhile, Pasig City also implements its Garbage Collection by Administration method wherein the local government unit (LGU) itself leads in the collection and management of the city's garbage to reduce some of its spending expenses since it will no longer need contractors for the service within five years.
Sotto also shared the ongoing feasibility study on the implementation of the Garbage Collection by the Administration in the whole Pasig City and the procurement of additional garbage trucks, among others.
Since April of last year, the local government, led by the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) and SWMO, started conducting the Waste Analysis and Characterization Study (WACS).
CENRO and SWMO Chief Allendri Angeles described WACS as an in-depth study using science and data-gathering to quantify the amount of garbage that is thrown away by Pasiguenos daily as well as the percentage of each kind of waste.
The results of this study will be included in the updates of the city’s 10-year Solid Waste Management Plan, Angeles said.
The local government is conducting the system in cooperation with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the private sector.
Maybunga Rainforest Park
During his remarks, Sotto praised the Maybunga Rainforest Park personnel for the numerous improvements it made to ensure the preservation of the park which is considered as the last lung of Pasig.
The 12 new and improved amenities of the park are as follows:
1) Senior Citizens' Park
2) Kiddie Playland built with world class playground equipment from Turkey
3) Rizal Pavilion
4) Picnic Grove
5) Butterfly Garden
6) Lagoon Pavilion
7) New Pet Park
8) Chess Pavilion
9) Renovation of treasury office/cashier
10) Mushroom Modular Growing House which is a joint project of the Rizal Technological University (RTU) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)
11) General rehabilitation of plumbing/sanitary system
12) General rehabilitation of electrical system.
Sotto bared that the total project cost of the park's rehabilitation and improvement is P26.3 million.
Authored by Councilors Pao Santiago and Kiko Rustia, Ordinance No. 26, Series of 2023 declares the Maybunga Rainforest Park as a permanent rainforest park and green space, protecting the area from being destroyed or removed.
Previously known as the Rainforest Adventure Experience Park or RAVE Park, the Maybunga Rainforest Park hosts a variety of facilities and amenities for Pasigueños to enjoy and be in touch with nature.
These include an adventure park, an aMAZE garden, a boating lagoon, a botanical garden, a camping area, a fitness center, a flower park, a kiddie playland, a mini-zoo, a picnic grove, a promenade area, and an amphitheater.
Accreditation of street food vendors
Under the business and sanitation sector, Sotto announced the city's Sanitation Office's plan to accredit all street food vendors in the city.
"Magandang proyekto ho ito dahil una, lahat naman tayo eh kumakain ng street food paminsan minsan and pangalawa, hanapbuhay ito na maayos kaya hindi natin pwede sabihin or ayaw natin sabihin na 'o basta icomply ninyo tong lahat ng permit bahala na kayo'. Hindi naman maganda 'yun kaya tutulungan natin sila (This is a very good project because first of all, all of us are eating street food and secondly, this is a very honorable occupation hence, we cannot just demand street food vendors and owners to just blindly comply and secure permits by their own. The city government will help them get accredited)," Sotto explained.
"Ito pong accrediation natin kasama na ang inspection nung mga cart na makikita ng mga tao na ito ay accredited at sumusunod sa standards ng sanitation ng Lungsod Pasig, sigurado na malinis at safe. Maganda po dito ay libre or halos libre ito para sa mga street food vendors natin (This accreditation will include the provision and inspection of the carts so that people will see that the vendor is accredited and follows Pasig City's sanitation standards, ensuring them that all produce are clean and safe. Additionally, the accreditation and inspection are free or almost free for our street food vendors)," he added.