Quezon City Mayor Joy received the Newsmaker of the Year award from the Manila Bulletin for the  “Trash to Cashback” program held at the Manila Hotel on Monday, Feb. 2. 

“In behalf of the Quezon City government, we thank Manila Bulletin for this recognition,” she said. 

Mayor Belmonte said the program was launched at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to address both waste management and the needs of struggling families. 

“We launched Trash to Cashback at the height of the pandemic, helping struggling families and finding a solution that is practical and people-oriented,” she said.

Launched in 2021, the “Trash to Cashback” program allows residents to exchange recyclable paper, plastic, and metal waste for Environmental Points (EPs), which can be used to purchase basic commodities and essential goods.

Belmonte said that since March 2021, the initiative has diverted about 800,000 kilograms of waste from landfills. 

She added that more than 2.6 million environmental points are equivalent to about P2.6 million pesos. 

Environmental Points may be redeemed for food items such as rice, eggs, bread, fruits, vegetables, and canned goods, as well as household essentials. 

Accepted materials include recyclable paper and metal, PET bottles, and single-use plastics such as sachets, coffee packs, and online shopping plastic packaging.

The program is supervised by the Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department in partnership with Basic Environmental Systems and Technologies Inc. (BEST).

The Newsmakers of the Year Awards is part of the Manila Bulletin’s 126th anniversary celebration, honoring individuals and institutions whose actions and initiatives have made a significant impact on the nation over the past year.