By Marc Eric A. Cosep
PIO Digital Media Specialist

CEBU CITY (Nov. 18, 2022) – A non-government organization (NGO) will set up and operate in partnership with the city waste-to-cash sites called “Aling Tindera” in a move to address the mounting waste problem.

Ylusian Farias, managing director of Friends of Hope, told Mayor Mike Rama in a courtesy call last night that her organization with Green Cycle chose the city to partner with as waste segregation is his priority.

Friends of Hope‘s Ylusian Farias discusses with Mayor Rama thru Zoom. 📷 PIO/Allan Cuizon

“We wanted to partner with the city on this because we know that waste segregation is one of your concerns and we wanted to help you and the community as well through our program,” Farias said.

With this, Farias seeks the assistance of the city in finding areas where they can set up the Aling Tindera sites that will serve as plastic credit exchange points.

These sites will serve as an aggregation hub where members of the community may sell post-consumer plastic by kilogram.

With those collected plastics, Green Cycle will process them and turn these trash into recyclable materials, selling them to companies for use.

“With this, bystanders or the community, in general, will become empowered not only to depollute the environment but make extra income as well,” she said.

Farias said Friends of Hope aims to set up at least 50 Aling Tindera sites around the city. However, Mayor Rama wanted to have at least 300 sites instead.

30 to 300 Sites. Joining the discussion are (from left) Reymarr Hijarra, the mayor’s point person on envrionmental concerns; businessman Edwin Ortiz; Atty. Jade Ponce, point person for solid waste management; and Roland dela Cruz, president of Green Cycle. 📷 PIO/Allan Cuizon

“I love the concept and I fully support this, but I want 300 because I want it to be aggressive and massive so we can address the garbage issue,” said Rama.

Farias responded the group can manage the number of sites as long as the city can provide areas for the program.

Rama assigned his staff Reymarr Hijarra and Atty. Jade Ponce to identidy the probable sites for Aling Tindera.

Hijarra is the mayor’s point person on envrionmental concerns, who organized the recent Waste Summit, while Ponce, head of the land management office, also tackles solid waste management issues.

With the Mayor’s approval, Farias hopes to help address the city’s garbage problem while empowering the Cebuanos as well.

“We can’t wait to kick off this program, and we will keep in touch with the City for other concerns,” she said. # (PIO/MEACosep)

Waste segregation, education ID’d as priorities