To help reduce flooding and drainage clogs partly caused by used cooking oil poured into canals, Cainta, Rizal Mayor Kit Nieto launched an initiative that will buy used oil from households and food businesses and sell it to a company that exports it to Malaysia for biodiesel production.

Nieto said the municipal government observed that during repeated drainage declogging operations, hardened grease was among the most common causes of blockages.

“Sa kakabungkal ng mga baradong drainage, isa sa laging rason ng bara eh mga namuong sebo galing sa mga kusina ng mga negosyong pagkain... at kahit mga kusina ng mga tabi-tabing bahay (After repeatedly declogging the town’s drainage system, one of the most common causes of blockage turned out to be hardened grease coming from kitchen waste, not only from food businesses but also from household kitchens),” he said.

“Tinatapon nila sa kanal ang mga lumang mantika tapos nagbabara sa mga drainages natin ‘pag namuo (Many people pour used cooking oil into canals, which later hardens and clogs the drainages),” he added.

Nieto found a solution to the problem after learning that used cooking oil can actually be converted into biodiesel. This prompted him to immediately coordinate with some groups to discuss the initiative.

He said the municipal government will provide capital to fund organized groups that will go around collecting and buying used cooking oil from households and food stores.

The collected oil will then be sold to a company that filters it and exports it to Malaysia for biodiesel production.

Biodiesel is a clean and renewable fuel made from natural oils such as used cooking oil, animal fat, or vegetable oil. It can be used to power diesel vehicles, producing less smoke and harmful gases that help improve air quality.

The mayor said the initiative is the latest addition to Cainta’s broader zero-waste campaign, which includes recycling plastic bottles into park benches, converting glass and plastic sachets into paved blocks, and turning banana peels and market leftovers into organic fertilizer.

“Hindi ako titigil hanggang di natin nauubos ang pwedeng i-recycle. Kasama ‘yan sa sustainable medium-term development goals ng bayan natin (I will not stop until we have recycled everything that can be recycled. This is part of our town’s sustainable medium-term development goals),” he emphasized.